| Paradoxes of Liberal Democracy: Islam, Western Europe, and the Danish Cartoon Crisis Subjects: Democracy -- Social aspects -- Denmark; Freedom of speech -- Denmark; Muhammad Prophet –632 -- Caricatures and cartoons; Caricatures and cartoons -- Political aspects -- Denmark; Morgenavisen jyllands-posten; Denmark -- Emigration and immigration -- Pol; 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 politicians, the stage was set for a backlash against Muslims in Denmark. But no such backlash occurred. Paul M. Sniderman is the Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professor of Public Policy at Stanford University and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Michael Bang Petersen, Rune Slothuus, and Rune Stubager are professors of political science at Aarhus University in Denmark. |