Religious pluralism in a local and global perspective: images of the prophet Mohammed seen in a danish and a global context

Abstract

The international image of Denmark has been one of a fairytale country. The Danish Constitution stresses religious freedom and toleration of religious communities. Religious pluralism in Denmark has become an international issue. The occasion which ignited the debate was the publication in a major Danish newspaper of a series of drawings of the Prophet Mohammed. The chapter discusses the implications of religious pluralism, when the context is extended from a nation or a locality to global society. Danish immigrants with a Muslim background have varied religious views. The cartoon strife forced many moderate Muslims in Denmark to reconsider their religious identity and the role of religion in Danish society. The case of the cartoon strife expresses an encounter between several modes of globalization. The Danish government mainly regards globalization as a world-wide market system. Keywords: Danish government; Denmark; globalization; Muslim; Prophet Mohammed; religious pluralism