Perception of Islam and Muslims in the Czech Society: The Criticism of Islam in the Public Sphere in Two Examples

HAVLÍČEK, Jakub. Perception of Islam and Muslims in the Czech Society: The Criticism of Islam in the Public Sphere in Two Examples. In Jedynak, Witold, Jarosław Kinal, Dušan Lužný, Daniel Topinka. Sociology of Religion. Selected Aspects from Central European Region. Rzeszów: Univerzity of Rzeszów, 2016, p. 80-88. ISBN 978-83-64804-46-5.

Basic information

Original name

Perception of Islam and Muslims in the Czech Society: The Criticism of Islam in the Public Sphere in Two Examples

Name in Czech

Vnímání islámu a muslimů v české společnosti: Kritika islámu ve veřejné sféře na dvou příkladech

Name (in English)

Perception of Islam and Muslims in the Czech Society: The Criticism of Islam in the Public Sphere in Two Examples

Authors

HAVLÍČEK, Jakub

Edition

Rzeszów, Sociology of Religion. Selected Aspects from Central European Region. p. 80-88, 9 pp. 2016

Publisher

Univerzity of Rzeszów

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Other information

Type of outcome

Kapitola resp. kapitoly v odborné knize

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

ISBN

978-83-64804-46-5

Keywords (in Czech)

islám, muslimové, sociální identita, kritika islámu, veřejná sféra

Keywords in English

Islam; Muslims; social identity; criticism of Islam; public sphere

Tags

International impact, Reviewed

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Abstract

V originále

Miloš Zeman’s comments on Islam as well as the criticism of Islam on the page of IVCRN and the analysis of the content and the context of criticizing Islam and Muslims reveal that the perception of Islam and Muslims is connected to the process of defining and understanding Czech national, cultural and social identity. This identity is defined as the opposite of Islamic socio-cultural features which are depicted rather negatively. In this stereotypical and homogenizing perspective Islam and Muslims represent “anti-civilization” (as expressed by Miloš Zeman). From this perspective, the Huntingtonian “culture clash” is inevitable. The connection of criticism of Islam and Muslims to the understanding of Czech socio-cultural identity can be seen as a key to the political potential of this criticism: we will probably see more examples of this criticism in the near future in connection with political competition in the public sphere of the Czech society.

In Czech

Výroky Miloše Zemana o islámu i kritika islámu na stránkách IVČRN a analýza obsahu a kontextu kritiky islámu a muslimů ukazují, že vnímání islámu a muslimů souvisí s procesem definování a chápání české národní, kulturní a sociální identity. Tato identita je definována jako protiklad islámských sociokulturních rysů, které jsou zobrazovány spíše negativně. V této stereotypní a homogenizující perspektivě představují islám a muslimové "anticivilizaci" (jak se vyjádřil Miloš Zeman). Z tohoto pohledu je huntingtonovský "střet kultur" nevyhnutelný. Spojení kritiky islámu a muslimů s chápáním české sociokulturní identity lze považovat za klíč k politickému potenciálu této kritiky: v blízké budoucnosti se pravděpodobně dočkáme dalších příkladů této kritiky v souvislosti s politickou soutěží ve veřejné sféře české společnosti.

In English

Miloš Zeman’s comments on Islam as well as the criticism of Islam on the page of IVCRN and the analysis of the content and the context of criticizing Islam and Muslims reveal that the perception of Islam and Muslims is connected to the process of defining and understanding Czech national, cultural and social identity. This identity is defined as the opposite of Islamic socio-cultural features which are depicted rather negatively. In this stereotypical and homogenizing perspective Islam and Muslims represent “anti-civilization” (as expressed by Miloš Zeman). From this perspective, the Huntingtonian “culture clash” is inevitable. The connection of criticism of Islam and Muslims to the understanding of Czech socio-cultural identity can be seen as a key to the political potential of this criticism: we will probably see more examples of this criticism in the near future in connection with political competition in the public sphere of the Czech society.