Brian Arly Jacobsen

Myths and Facts on the Future Number of Muslims—a Danish Case Study

Abstract The article discusses various estimates of Muslim populations in Europe, showing that the public debate on numbers reflects academia’s difficulties in quantifying the Muslim populations. Projections of growth in the number of Muslims in Europe are exaggerated both in academia and in the public in general, leading to the construction of myths on the future number of Muslims in Europe. In this article various methods in the field of demography of religion are discussed on the basis of the Danish case. A more precise estimation of Muslims based on national statistics is proposed for countries where direct data on religious affiliation is not available.

Islam and Muslims in Denmark

Traditionally, Denmark has not regarded itself as a country of immigration but within 4 decades of immigration the demographic profile of the country has changed. Alongside the process of immigration, groups of immigrants with different religious backgrounds have altered the religious landscape of Denmark. A 100 years ago there were only very few people with e.g., Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim background. Today the situation has changed fundamentally. Islam has become the largest minority-religion in Denmark and this has resulted in new forms of religious symbols in the Danish public and the construction of Muslim institutions such as burial places, educational institutions and prayer spaces. These religious symbols and institutions have been disputed since they were first established.

Religion and State: Complexity in Change

This chapter discusses the changing Nordic religion–state relations. Since the 1980s, formal separations between the Lutheran majority churches and the state have taken place in several countries. All the Nordic states have a system of recognition of minority religions, and various forms of symbolic and financial support of religion. While the symbolic support of (mostly majority) religion in terms of holiday and blasphemy laws has been reduced, there has been some increase in the presence of religion in state institutions. This chapter also discusses the role of religion in legitimating the state and ends with an analysis of Swedish debates on religion in primary schools. The results are discussed in light of differentiation between religion and state, and illustrate the complexity in these relations.