Active Citizenship among Muslims in Sweden: From Minority Politics to Political Candidacy

Abstract

Islam and Muslims are hot topics in politics. Muslims engaged in politics are accused of wanting to turn Sweden into an Islamic state; others try to find parallels between the Christian groups of political parties and Muslim interests. The article discusses the development in recent decades when individuals and organizations with an Islamic agenda have become politically active citizens. It looks at the different stages of initial organization and lobbying, and later, cooperation with established political actors. Finally, it discusses the individual candidacies in the 2010 election of some individuals who emphasized their Muslim identity