Bougarel explores Balkan Islam which is often called "European Islam" because it resulted from indigenous and largely secularized in opposition to "a non-European Islam" that embody not only the predominantly Muslim countries but also the Muslim populations newly settled in Western Europe. Xavier Bougarel proposes to replace these culturalist visions by an accurate comparison taking into account the nuances of the realities of Islam in Western Europe and in the Balkans.
Bougarel examines Balkan Islam, often referred to as "European Islam" due to its indigenous and secularized nature, contrasting it with a non-European Islam that encompasses Muslim-majority countries and newly settled populations in Western Europe. Bougarel suggests replacing culturalist perspectives with a more accurate comparison of Islamic realities in the Balkans and Western Europe.