After decades of immigration and subsequent demographic change, Europe has had time by now to recognize the permanence of the continent’s new multicultural and multi-religious make-up. As new religious groups have made European states their home, are we seeing a corresponding political shift from ‘immigration-incorporation’ to integration of a broader set of religious interests?

The panel offers comparative, multidisciplinary perspectives on the governance of Islam in Europe, drawing on research from the disciplines of political science, law and theology. All papers are based on original empirical data that examines comparable policy processes in three European countries; France, Norway and the UK. Particularly, the papers examine how the regimes for governance of Islam in Europe are influenced by Muslim political action and Muslim initiatives in the civil sphere.

How are societal structures in different European states today affected by Muslim politics and Muslim activism? How does the state include and interact with Muslim actors, how are Muslim groups able to speak with influence on policy matters, and how do state policies on matters of importance to Muslim citizens reflect different perceptions of religion and representation?  Reflecting on these questions, the papers presented at this panel speak about how new population groups are able to influence policies and structures in multicultural Europe today, and which dilemmas are encountered in the process.