In the House of War: Dutch Islam Observed

Sam Cherribi is a Moroccan Muslim who became a naturalized Dutch citizen and member of the Dutch Parliament. In this book he draws on his personal experiences with European politics and media, extensive fieldwork in Dutch mosques, and interviews with imams. In recent years, the Netherlands has been swept by the same forces of change that have swept the rest of Europe: the consolidation of the European Union, a massive influx of Muslim immigrants and the rising voice of Islamic fundamentalism. Cherribi argues that this small country has amplified these forces, providing a useful lens through which to examine trends in all of Europe. The portents are troubling, he notes, as evidenced by the murders of journalist Pim Fortuyn and filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, after which riots broke out, mosques were burned, and Muslims were openly reviled by the public and the media. Cherribi himself was voted out of Parliament in the anti-migrant fervor that engulfed the Netherlands after these murders and, like many other Dutch Muslims, he emigrated to the United States. Looking back on these events, and bringing to bear his skills and training as a sociologist, Cherribi provides an invaluable account of one country's encounter with some of the most troubling trends of our times.

About the Author :
Oussama (Sam) Cherribi was born in Morocco. He is a Dutch citizen and a permanent resident of the United States. He served as a Member of Parliament in the Netherlands from 1994 to 2002, during which time he also served as a member of the Council of Europe (an assembly focused primarily on human rights), of the West European Union, and twice of the Dutch delegation to the United Nations. He is presently a Senior Lecturer in sociology at Emory University.

Review :
"Cherribi's In the House of War is an extremely interesting study of recent developments in Western Europe, the Netherlands in particular. What caused the most progressive country of the world to lose its tolerance towards Muslim migrants? Cherribi, an insider of Dutch politics, provides many insightful observations. His explanations are well-informed and often provocative. Obligatory reading for anyone who wants to unravel the riddle of intolerant consequences of 'progressive' politics of our days!" --Jan Willem Duyvendak, Professor of Sociology, University of Amsterdam "The tensions surrounding religious Muslims living in European secular societies is one of the most topical issues of our age. In this book, Sam Cherribi blends scholarship with direct biographical experience to provide fresh insights into the triple pressures which Muslim communities face from below (to succeed in society), from within the Muslim community, and from above (from global Islamic forces). A fascinating tour de force, this book provides a highly original and deeply personal account of the forces of change sweeping through contemporary Europe." --Pippa Norris, Harvard University