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The Apostasy Law in Kuwait and the Liberal Predicament

University of Bergen, Oslo

This article looks into a case of conversion from Islam in Kuwait. The apostasy law in the Middle East and the reluctance by liberal Muslims to lend unambiguous support to freedom of religion are commonly viewed as the paradigmatic illustration of an 'Islamic exception'. It is argued that this perception is not justified, as the law and the support given it by most liberal Muslims are not social manifestations of a specific 'Islamic mentality' but one cultural way of expressing and dealing with a dilemma faced by all modern political communities: how to strike a balance between the common good and invidual freedoms. Seen in this light, the apostasy problematic is not without parallels in western liberal societies.

Key Words: communitarianism • Islam • Kuwait • liberalism • nationalism

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