Minority Leadership, Science, Symbols, and the Media: The Belgian Islam Debate and its Relevance for Other Countries in Europe Johan Leman Catholic University of Leuven This article discusses the processes that occurred in Belgium during the period of 1989- 2000 in the constructive areas of minority policy decision-making regarding the search for a representative and legitimate partner to represent Muslims vis-h-vis the State: minor- ity leadership, the administration, the academic community, the great social symbolic events, and the media. It concludes with the political decision-making process itself. The conclusions refer to the interpretation of change in terms of continuity and discontinuity, and to the means of coping with historical ethnic otherness. Comparisons are made with other European countries. Cet article aborde les processus mis en place en Belgique, durant la pdriode de 1989-2000, dans le domaine constructif de Ia politique ddcisionnelle concernant les minoritds, notamment la recherche de repr~sentants et de partenaires Idgitimes pour reprdsenter les musulmans aupr~s de l'Etat : dirigeants des minoritds, administration, milieux universitaires, les grands dvdnements sociaux symboliques et les mddias. L'article conclut sur Ie processus m~me des ddcisions politiques. Les conclusions portent en particulier sur I'interprdtation du changement en terme de continuit~ et de discontinuit6, et sur les moyens de s'adapter h la diffdrence ethnique historique. Des comparaisons sont faites avec d'autres pays europdens. During the last decade, the debate about Islam in Belgium has focused on whom the State can or must accept as a representative and legitimate partner for Muslims in discussions that concern both the State and Mus- lim communities (this can vary depending on the State concerned). The debate has also addressed the organizational setting, keeping in mind the legal and administrative framework of the State. In describing and analysing minority policy decisions, as in the case of the debate about Islam in Belgium, it is useful to identify five dimen- sions or areas of policy-making. In his book Le Pouvoir sur Sc~nes (1992) Key wordslMots-clefs: Europe's Islam/L'islam en Europe; political anthropology/ anthropologie politique 92000 by PCERII. All rightsreserved./Tous droits r6serv6s. ISSN: 1488-3473 JIMI/RIMIVolume 1 Number/num6ro 3 (Summer/6t6 2000):351-372