Includes bibliographical references and index.

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The multiculturalist ideology -- Islamic fundamentalism -- When multiculturalism and Islamic fundamentalism coincide : Sharia councils in the United Kingdom -- Concluding remarks.

Proponents of multiculturalism do not usually subscribe to Islamist goals. Yet, across Europe, these are being furthered. Sharia councils are deeply at odds with Western moral and legal principles of equality, freedom, and justice. However, high-profile multiculturalists tend to present a romanticized view of these councils, which obscures both the ideology that motivates them and their practical consequences. Are Sharia councils a legitimate expression of the longing for identity, as multiculturalists claim? What do Islamists really want? And why do multiculturalists find it so difficult to counter their claims? This book explores the implications of multiculturalism and Islamic fundamentalism. It provides a vivid account of what really goes on inside Sharia councils, and it discusses the challenges they pose to liberal democracy. With impressive clarity and vital importance, the book offers insight into two ideologies crucial to Europe's future.