In May, Columbia University Press will publish The Muslim Brotherhood in Europe, edited by Edwin Bakker, Professor of Terrorism and Counterterrorism at Leiden University in Holland, and Roel Meijer of the Netherlands Institute of International Relations.  The volume collects articles presenting different views on the Muslim Brotherhood‘s activities in Europe.  The articles explore the extent to which these activities mirror the Brotherhood’s activities in the Middle East and whether their presence in Europe promotes a positive rallying force for Europe’s Muslim communities or the dangerous potential of national and international destabilization by fomenting inter-communal and inter-religious conflict.

Please see the publisher’s description after the jump.

Scholars have long debated the intentions of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East. Some claim the organization supports terrorism, while others believe it is a positive force for democratization. Though the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe has attracted less attention, many feel they understand the group just as well, for they assume it is closely tied to its Middle Eastern counterpart. Critics believe Europe’s Muslim Brotherhood is a suspicious, secretive, and centrally led organization, increasing the alienation of Europe’s Muslims, while sympathizers regard the Brotherhood as a moderate, westernized, and fully integrated force for good. In this volume, experts on Europe’s Muslim Brotherhood provide richer, more impartial perspectives on the critical issues relating to the group. It confronts Brotherhood organizations in different European contexts and traces their highly specific relationships with non-Muslim press outlets and authorities.