Are Muslims threatening the core values of the West? Jocelyne Cesari examines this question through the lens of testimonies from Muslims in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. Her book is an unprecedented exploration of Muslim religious and political life based on several years of field work in Europe and in the United States. It provides original insights into the ways Muslims act as believers and citizens and into the specifics of western liberalism and secularism, particularly after 9/11, and how the specific constraints of Islam in secular spaces trigger a western politics of fear. Its unique interdisciplinary scope allows for an in depth analysis of data polls, surveys, political discourses, policy programs, interviews, and focus groups with Muslims.

This books seeks to bridge a gap in the existing literature that emphasizes Islamic fundamentalist movements, providing a typology of many manifestations of Islam both known and unknown, including Sufi orders, sects, and proselytizing movements. Cesari identifies two opposing strands of Islam, one defensive and conservative, the other constructive and cosmopolitan, and investigates their emergence, development, and effect upon international relations. The unique interdisciplinary scope of the book allows for an in-depth analysis of data polls, surveys, political discourses, policy programs, interviews, and focus groups with Muslims. Ultimately, Why the West Fears Islam unveils the specifics of western liberalism and secularism and its transformations since 9/11.

The United States, the third most populous country globally, accounts for about 4.5% of the world's population. The U.S. population, currently estimated at 308.7 million persons, has more than doubled since its 1950 level of 152.3 million. More than just being double in size, the population has become qualitatively different from what it was in 1950. As noted by the Population Reference Bureau, "The U.S. is getting bigger, older, and more diverse." This book provides an overview of the inexorable demographic momentum taking place, which will have important implications for the economic and social forces shaping future societal well-being.