What are the processes by which Islamic identity is constructed, and which aspects are unique to Muslim minorities in general and to the Muslim minority in Israel in particular? How did the development of the doctrine of fiqh al-aqalliyyat (the jurisprudence of Muslim minorities) influence the Islamic Movement within the State of Israel? Is there a common denominator in the formation of a political Islamic agenda among non-Muslim majority societies?
This collected volume provides a framework for comparative analysis between the status of Muslim minority communities within Western countries and the status of the Muslim community within Israel. It comprises seven articles that address various aspects of history, religion, and politics. These articles are based on lectures delivered during a conference held in March 2010 at Tel Aviv University, which was organized by the Konrad Adenauer Program for Jewish-Arab Cooperation. Among the contributors to this volume are prominent researchers from academia and the public sector, including Uriah Shavit, Sagie Polka, Elie Rekhess, Nimrod Luz, Iyad Zahalka, Mohanad Mustafa, and Mordechai Kedar.