Religious minorities in the Middle East

The relationship between religious majorities and minorities in the Middle East is often construed as one of domination versus powerlessness. While this may indeed be the case, to claim that this is only or always so is to give a simplified picture of a complex reality. Such a description lays emphasis on the challenges faced by the minorities, while overlooking their astonishing ability to mobilize internal and external resources to meet these challenges.

Through the study of strategies of domination, resilience, and accommodation among both Muslim and non-Muslim minorities, this volume throws into relief the inherently dynamic character of a relationship which is increasingly influenced by global events and global connections.

Turid Smith Polfus, historian of religion with religion and politics as her special area of interest. She had lived and worked in the Middle East nearly five years, doing researh and working for international organisations. 

Anne Sofie Roald is Professor in Religious Studies and Senior Researcher and former head of the research program Politics of Faith at Chr. Michelsen Institute, Bergen, Norway. Her publications deal mainly with gender issues, conversion, multiculturalism, Islamism, and Arab media.

Religious Minorities in the Middle East: Domination, Self-Empowerment, Accommodation
Edited by Anh Nga Longva and Anne Sofie Roald.

Contributors include: Maurits H. van den Boogert, Nazlı Çağın Bilgili, Ali Çarkoğlu, Grégoire Delhaye, Kais M. Firro, Bård Kårtveit, Catherine Le Thomas, Anh Nga Longva, Laurence Louër, Elizabeth Picard, Annika Rabo, Anne Sofie Roald, Eliz Sanasarian, Michael Stausberg, and Margot Warburg.