What do Muslims in Norway say about Jews and Judaism? Based on 32 qualitative, individual interviews, Vibeke Moe has analyzed narratives about Jews among Muslims in Norway in her doctoral work.
The dissertation Community, Boundaries, and Meaning in Narratives about Jews among Muslims in Norway was submitted in the autumn of 2021.
A shared religious heritage and collective history between Jews and Muslims have historically given rise to representations that emphasize community and religious ties, but also polemic depictions where the intention has been to mark boundaries and define oneself in opposition to the Other. In contemporary times, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has formed an important backdrop for impressions of Muslim-Jewish relations and contributed to polarized portrayals. Antisemitic acts committed by extremists have further contributed to the perception of a primarily conflictual relationship.
This doctoral project has explored constructions of community and boundaries between Muslims and Jews. A pervasive feature in the material is that the history of Jews in Europe and the history of modern antisemitism are used as interpretive keys to understand the situation of the Muslim minority in today's Europe. Similarly, the informants' minority experiences serve as a reference framework in understanding the situation of the Jewish minority today.
While main lines in previous research have focused on antisemitism and a politicized debate has often described the relationship between Muslims and Jews as contentious, this study presents a nuanced picture. The results demonstrate, among other things, how the religious connection between Islam and Judaism and shared minority experiences can form a basis for understanding and solidarity between Jews and Muslims.