Islam in Post-communist Eastern Europe

Abstract

Between Churchi cation and Securitization Egdūnas Račius reveals how not only the governance of religions but also practical politics in postcommunist Eastern Europe are permeated by the strategies of churchi cation and securitization of Islam. Though most Muslims and the majority of researchers of Islam hold to the view that there may not be church in Islam, material evidence suggests that the representative Muslim religious organizations in many Eastern European countries have been e fectively turned into ecclesiastical-bureaucratic institutions akin to nothing less than 'national Muslim Churches'. As such, these 'national Muslim Churches' themselves take an active part in securitization, advanced by both non-Muslim political and social actors, of certain forms of Islamic religiosity. Readership All interested in the development and governance of Islam in Eastern Europe, and anyone concerned state-religion relations and the state of religious freedom in the region. For more information see brill.com

Governing religious diversity in Western Balkans: The volatility of ethno-religious coexistence in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania

“…However, ethno-religious nationalism can be applied by a state's political representatives even if this state is de jure secular. Račius (2020) suggests that this phenomenon is more observable in cases of newly founded states, while Rieffer (2003) reaffirms this claim by arguing that longstanding religious institutions can assist newly formed governments to consolidate political stability (229). This is highly relevant since historically, dominant religions have had access to a large portion of the population, with religion in present cases, serving as a source of legitimacy to national leaders to pursue their political agenda.…”

“…Specifically, Bollerup and Christensen (1997) point to the Western Balkans and most notably, to the corresponding post-communist states as the region where ethnic nationalism has been more manifested in Europe, both as an ideology and as a political practice. According to Račius (2020), ethnic nationalism's very raison d'etre is the perpetuation and constant (re)invention of 'significant others' (92). Triandafyllidou (1998) adds that the 'significant other' belongs to the outgroup.…”

“…In view of the above, both countries subject to analysis pose their distinctive and common features. To start with, both Albania and BiH have their native Muslim populations with a hundred of years-long history generated by mass conversion of mainly local Albanian and Slavic populations to Islam (Račius, 2020;42;Endresen, 2015;224). As per today, Muslim populations constitute a clear majority in Albania and above half of the population in BiH, with both countries officially recognizing 'traditional' religions, including Islam whilst declaring themselves secular states.…”

“…Religion is then likely to become the most important marker and filter of national identity (Hoppenbrouwers, 2002;314). Corroborating that, as the highly ethno-religious communities view the 'Others' as a potential threat, they become aggressive towards them and religion may be 'instrumentalized by the political elite and made to serve essentially non-religious aims of a given nationalism' (Račius, 2020;94). Rieffer (2003) terms this exploitation of religion for nationalistic objectives as 'instrumental pious nationalism' when national leaders try to instrumentalize religion to create a cohesive public body (229).…”

Religious nationalism and the dynamics of religious diversity governance in post-communist Eastern Europe

“…Such support can include access to material resources (e.g., funding for property restitution or rehabilitation, clerical salaries, and tax exemption), access to adherents in state institutions (e.g., prisons, hospitals), and recognition of religion in otherwise state-supplied services, such as marriage, healthcare, and education. Variation exists in the specific method of this registration and recognition of religions (Račius, 2020).…”