In 2005, twelve cartoons mocking the prophet Mohammed appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, igniting a political firestorm over demands by some Muslims that the claims of their religious faith take precedence over freedom of expression. Given the explosive reaction from Middle Eastern governments, Muslim clerics, and some Danish politic

List of Illustrations ix Preface xiii Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 A Clash of Rights 10 Chapter 3 The Covenant Paradox 52 Chapter 4 Flash Point: The Ideological Bases of Anti-immigration Politics 82 Chapter 5 The Concept of Inclusive Tolerance 117 Chapter 6 The Democratic Impulse 141 Appendix A Timeline of the Cartoon Crisis 155 Appendix B Description of the Main Data Set 157 Appendix C Comparison of Respondents from the Height and Aftermath of the Crisis 159 Appendix D Scaling and Measurement of Core Variables 163 References 167 Index 177

"Taking its starting point from the infamous Danish cartoon crisis and the clash of democratic values and Muslim fundamentalism that followed, this engagingly written, methodologically sophisticated, and creative study of public opinion adds substantially to a growing body of research into this 'clash of civilizations'. The views of the Danish majority, far from scapegoating and vilifying the Muslim minority, distinguished carefully and intelligently between upholding the rights of this minority to live as Danish citizens while at the same time restricting freedoms for those associated with the threat of fundamentalist violence. This superb analysis of the nuances of public morality convincingly eschews simple answers to important and complex questions."—Geoffrey Evans, University of Oxford

"The paradox of liberal democracy is that, at the height of the Danish cartoon controversy, the Danes did not launch a broadside attack against the civil liberties of their Muslim minority. The pages of this book bring that paradox alive with compelling theoretical and methodological arguments. This is a splendid work of scholarship."—James L. Gibson, Washington University in St. Louis

"This tremendously interesting and highly relevant book has an encouraging message: Danish citizens stood behind the civil liberties of Muslims even at the height of the Danish cartoon crisis. It shows that what common sense expected to happen—a backlash—did not happen, and then explains why with a straightforwardness and immediacy that are rare for an academic text."—Hanspeter Kriesi, European University Institute

"Paradoxes of Democracy is a rich and provocative study of the political dynamics that arise when cultures clash. This study of the tensions over the publication of political cartoons about Mohammed in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten will enrich our understanding of the interaction of elite actions and public opinion when tolerance is tested."—Russell Dalton, University of California, Irvine

"This timely and important book establishes the inherent tolerance of the Danes at a time when opinions should have been most likely to spill over into hostility. It will be widely cited and probably controversial, as the news today continues to focus on the intolerance in Denmark for Muslims. Paradoxes of Liberal Democracy is a pleasure to read."—Holli A. Semetko, Emory University