ABSTRACT
The previous chapters have described how the historical ‘clash’ of the Christian and Muslim civilizations took the form of a political struggle between the Muslim and Christian empires themselves. This chapter concentrates on the geopolitical dimension of the Christian-Muslim frontier, which has its roots deep in the history of Christian-Muslim relations and is reflected in the statements and acts of contemporary political leaders. History shaped the relationship between men and geography in the zone of contact, and was an important factor in the construction of various group identities, which often confronted one another – for, in the words of Jean Gottmann, ‘the worst barriers in society stem from the diversity of historical past’ (Gottmann 1951: 519). This chapter also deals with the structure of the Christian-Muslim frontier, as shaped by history. In this sense, the frontier consists of a core area within which the border between Christian and Muslim states has moved since the seventh century, and concentric peripheral circles corresponding to the legacy of peripheral historical contacts, notably colonialism and the postmodern interspersing of communities.
