violence

Europe and the Muslims: Debating the Foundations of State Policy

This article discusses theoretical issues behind the current shift in the policy of European states towards Islamic communities. The shift is driven by the idea that the values of political Islam are incompatible with Western values; that the main driver behind radicalization is ideology and that even non‑violent Islamists gradually prepare the Muslim youth to embracing violence. Based on current academic discussions as well as the results of the author’s own research, the author concludes that the opponents of these ideas have serious counter‑ arguments.

Nemti and Gold: Religious Violence and the Semantics of Punishment in an Ancient Egyptian Tale

The article discusses the motif of bodily mutilation in connection with the punishment in an ancient Egyptian tale, in the story of the ferryman Nemti. This narrative is compared with similar Egyptian plots about the loss of body parts and their replacement/transformation into gold. Based on the works of Vladimir Propp, the author builds a model of the event which triggers the development of action in the fairy tale and in the myth.

The Image of the Sun in Georges Bataille’s Philosophy of the Sacred

This article considers the image of the sun in Georges Bataille’s philosophy and its position in relation to his theory of the sacred. The author puts forward the hypothesis that the sun as a conceptual metaphor accumulates meanings, notions, and intuitions that are later attributed to the sacred and are finally inscribed in its composition.

Who Justifies Violence in Dagestan and Why? A Comparative Analysis of Value Profiles of Muslim Religious Groups in Dagestan

This article describes the results of quantitative value research into the Muslims of Dagestan and outlines the difference between religious groups present in this republic of Russia. It also presents information on the determinants of the justification of violence (in its different forms). According to this analysis, religious groups have certain value profiles. Sufis, for example, value obedience, disapprove of violence, and tend to trust people.