The Erlangen Centre for Islam and Law in Europe (EZIRE) conducts research and teaching about Islam and Muslim life in Europe from a multidisciplinary perspective. In addition to research and teaching, EZIRE also offers services such as trainings, consulting, expertise and expert opinions.

The EZIRE was established on 1 January 2009 with the funding of the Fund for Innovation of the Bavarian Ministry for Sciences and is one of the main institutions within the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. It strengthens the university’s diverse and traditional research on Islam and the Middle East.

The EZIRE examines fundamental issues on Islam and Muslims in Europe. Researchers from different disciplines, such as Law, Political Science and Islamic Studies work together on various research projects. Part of the research is carried out in the form of scientific theses (PhD, Habilitation).

Current projects

– Islamic Affairs Consultancy in Bavaria. Bridge builders between Muslim environments and municipalities
– The Struggles over Identity, Morality, and Public Space in Middle Eastern Cities
– Islamic Mission on the European Continent: Ahmadiyya in the Footsteps of Globalization (1920-1990)

Completed projects

– Islam in Bavaria
– Coordination of the module Data Situation in the Project ‘Salafism in Germany’
– Parallel Justice
– Islamic Community Life in Berlin
– PROMETEE: Understanding Property in Moslem Transitional Environments
– WIN-World Religions for Integration
– RELIGARE

The topics of the research projects at the EZIRE are:

• Legal status of Islam in Germany and Europe
• Legal Pluralism in Europe
• Islamic normativity and religious practice of Muslims in Europe
• Muslim presence and Muslim self-definition in Europe
• Development of Islamic law in the present
• Connections and interactions between European jurisdictions and legal systems of countries with a Muslim majority
• Turkish Law
• Attitudes and practices of Muslims in Europe
• Islamic missionary work in Europe, conversion to and from Islam

Contacts

• Address: Erlangen Centre for Islam and Law in Europe, Bohlenplatz 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
• Tel: +49 9131 85-26398
• Fax: +49 9131 85-26399
• Email: joern.thielmann@fau.de
• Website: https://www.ezire.fau.eu/