| No 19
|
Muslim People in Eastern Europe: Ethnicity and Religion |
| Institution |
Department of Sociology; University College Cardiff: CF1 1XL Wales |
|
Publication (Journal) |
Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs 9 no. 1 (January 1988): 103-18 |
| Published in |
U.K., 1988 |
| Language |
English |
| Abstract |
The data available on the numerical strength of the Muslims in eight East European countries are critically examined and it is argued that fundamental inconsistencies and disparities are caused by the ideological constraints that govern the collection of census returns. The sources not only disagree as to who the various Muslim people in Eastern Europe are, but also show a remarkable disregard for the accuracy of statistical data. The concept of ethnicity is discussed in the context of the history and current position of the Muslims in Poland. It is concluded that religion, rather than culture or politics, facilitates the normative and structural dimensions of the "historical memory." A more comprehensive study of the Muslims in Eastern Europe is urged, the primary dividends of which would be an even greater understanding of the relationship between ethnicity & religion, which is particularly pertinent in the case of Islam. |
| Discipline(s) |
sociology
, political history
|
| Source(s) |
statistics
|