Conflict and Cooperation: Christian-Muslim Relations in Contemporary Egypt

Egypt is considered the intellectual birthplace of the modern Islamic movements and is a center of contemporary Islamic thought and culture. It is also home to one of the oldest Christian populations in the world. In this book, Peter Makari considers the role of governmental and nongovernmental actors in conflict resolution and the promotion of positive Christian-Muslim relations in Egypt. He maintains that, prevailing opinions notwithstanding, the last quarter-century has witnessed a high level of interreligious cooperation and tolerance. Relying heavily on Arabic sources, Makari examines the rhetoric and actions of official governmental and religious institutions, as well as civil society actors. Combining empirical research with an informed theoretical perspective, this work offers a perspective seldom available to the English reader on questions of tolerance, citizenship, and civil society in this part of the Arab world.