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the United States, Westport, Conn. 1997.Kristine AjrouchWestern EuropeMuslim youth in Western Europe do not belong
to one monolitic category. A variety of conditions
must be taken into consideration including the
sociopolitical context of each country, the differing
social position and cultural origin of their families,
and the fact that both natives and immigrants are
included in this classification. This entry deals with
changes in the understanding of Islamic beliefs and
practices among young Muslim women born or
raised since early childhood in Europe. The key
issues for these current changes are the individual-
ization of the faith, the empowerment of young
Muslim women through education, the growing
importance of youth associations, and the use of
diversity as a resource for participation.Individualization of the faith
For youth who live in Europe, being Muslim is a
question of personal choice. In contrast to their
parents, they feel that they have become Muslims
after undergoing an individual quest which has led
them to emphasize the ethical and spiritual dimen-
sions of Islam rather than the normative aspects798 youth culture and movements
(Babès 1997, Moreno Alvarez 2001). As with other
young people, religiousness is one subjective
resource among many others with which to con-
struct a personal identity that is always changing
and complex (Tietze 2002). Young Muslim women
actively reinterpret the religious traditions of their
parents, selecting some aspects and deciding
against others in such a way as to create a sense of
meaning in their lives. They criticize patriarchal
customs by distinguishing religion from local tradi-
tions that have been confused with Islam by their
parents (Saint-Blancat 2003). For example, they
generally refuse an arranged marriage and wish to
choose their husband even if his national origins
differ from that of their parents The important issue
for many is that he should be a “true Muslim” and
not simply a Muslim by tradition.
All these elements show a process of individual-
ization of the Islamic faith, which does not mean
that religion is enclosed in a private space, as we
will see in the next key issues.Empowerment through
education
Young Muslim women have increased their
autonomy by becoming engaged in professional or
academic preparation (Amiraux 2000). Their stud-
ies bring changes in power relationships inside the
family, with traditional gender roles being ques-
tioned. A wider access to Islamic knowledge and
recourse to produce it on their own is of notable sig-
nificance to Muslim girls. As in other religions,
male experts have been the sole possessors of reli-
gious authority for a long time, but now a genera-
tion of Muslim women experts is emerging. They
are developing an innovative theological commen-
tary that enables them to defend their human rights
in a religious perspective and to assume a key posi-
tion between the Muslim communities and society
as a whole (Jonker 2003).Youth associations
Many girls join Muslim associations for family
reasons: parents or brothers already take part in
them. By choosing a Muslim youth association they
are more easily able to meet peers, and to develop
and discuss their religious knowledge in a protected
social environment as it has been understood by
their parents. A common result of those encounters
is that Muslim girls are silently gaining autonomy
(Amiraux 2000). As it happens these associations
become an environment in which they meet peers,
and in which religion is merely a possible topic of
common interest. Trips and visits to the cinema and
other sources of entertainment are provided, with