The Religion and Politics Nest of the College of Europe in Natolin had the pleasure to organise a lecture titled "Islam in Europe" delivered by Dr Dominique AVON, Professor of History at EPHE (École Pratique des Hautes Études) and Paris Sciences & Lettres University (PSL).
Professor AVON explored the complex dynamics between Islam and European societies. He examined the historical presence of Muslims in Europe, from the Ottoman Empire to modern-day migration patterns, and discussed how these movements had shaped religious and political landscapes. The session also touched upon the challenges of integrating Islamic practices within secular European frameworks, including debates on religious freedom, education, and the role of foreign states in shaping Muslim communities.
The students also had the chance to listen about the tensions between religious identity and political integration, highlighting the diverse perspectives of Muslims in Europe and their interactions with state policies. The lecture offered a unique opportunity to understand the intricate relationships between religion, politics, and identity in contemporary Europe.
The session concluded with an insightful discussion led by Mr Anis ISSA, mentor of the Religion and Politics Nest, offering students a valuable opportunity to engage with the complexities of religion and politics in modern Europe.
About the speaker:
Dr Dominique AVON is Professor of History at EPHE (École Pratique des Hautes Études) and at the Paris Sciences & Lettres University (PSL). He is specialized in contemporary religious history (Christianity, Islam) and has teaching experience in France, Egypt, Lebanon, USA, Belgium, and Italy. He is currently Director of the Institute for the Study of Religions and Laicité (IREL).
He worked with Academics in Morocco, Belgium, Switzerland, and Lebanon in order to write free courses online (Arabic, French, English): صفحة الاستقبال - HEMED (univ-lemans.fr). He wrote, edited or coedited twenty books, among them Hezbollah: A History of the « Party of God » (Harvard UP, 2012), La liberté de conscience. Histoire d’une notion et d’un droit (Rennes, PUR, 2020) and L’Histoire religieuse contemporaine en France (Paris, La Découverte, 2022). Follow the link to access his publications.