Political Islam

Between a rock and a hard place - radical Islam in post-Suharto Indonesia

by Felix Heiduk

International Journal of Conflict and Violence, Vol 6, No 1 (2012)

Indonesia provides a fruitful case study of differences between radicalization processes in liberal and authoritarian... more Indonesia provides a fruitful case study of differences between radicalization processes in liberal and authoritarian regimes. Political Science hereby tends to emphasize regime type as the determinant of Islamist political strategy (radical, militant or moderate) and therefore as the main explanatory factor for radicalization processes.

Although this is true of the role of Islamists in various Middle Eastern countries, where electoral participation has moderated political programs and strategies, it is of little relevance to Indonesia. The democratic opening in 1998 provided Islamists with new opportunities to participate in electoral politics, and even become co-opted by formally “secular” forces, but at the same time opened up spaces for militant, radical Islamist groups.

Whereas radical Islam faced severe state repression under Suharto’s New Order, we now find a highly ambiguous relationship between the state and radical Islamists, expressed in operational terms as a parallelism of repression and cooptation. This article tries to make sense of the relationship between the post-authoritarian state and radical Islam in Indonesia by transcending the institution-centered understanding of the role of Islam through an examination of the configurations of social forces that have determined the shape, scope, and practices of radical Islam within Indonesia’s new experiment with democracy.

İslami Fundamentalizmden İslam Fobisine:Batı Dünyasında Gelişmekte Olan İslamophobia

by Kayhan Delibas

Bilgi (9) 2004 / 2 : 1-41

Abstract:
Islamic fundamentalism has been one of the most commonly discussed issues of the last two decades. As... more Abstract:
Islamic fundamentalism has been one of the most commonly discussed issues of the last two decades. As a concept, it was originated from the Protestant fundamentalism in the United States in the 1920s. Despite its historical roots, and ambiguities the term of fundamentalism has been commonly used to define Islamic political movements in the Muslim countries. It has been observed that the discourse of funda-mentalism has been neglecting the fundamental differences between these socio-political movements, and the historical, socioeconomic, polit-ical and cultural diversity that existed among the Muslim societies. The main research question that this paper tries to answer is that whether the rise of the Islamophobia or “anti- Muslimism” in the West can be considered as a new source of social inequalities or not?
Key Words: Islamophobia, Political Islam, Inequality, Fundamentalism, International Terrorism.


Özet
İslamî köktencilik son yirmi yılda gerek ülkemizde gerekse dünyada en çok tartışılan konularından biri ola geldi. 1920‟lerde ABD‟de ortaya çı-kan Protestanlık orijinli fundamentalizm (köktencilik) kavramı son yirmi yıldır Müslüman ülkelerinde çok yaygın olan İslam kaynaklı siyasal hareketi tanımlamak için kullanıldı. Fakat fundamentalizm tartışmaları söz konusu bu hareketler arasındaki temel farklılıklar ile bu hareketlerin ortaya çıktığı toplumların kendilerine özgü tarihsel sosyopolitik ve kültürel farklılıklarını hiçbir zaman hesaba katmamaktadır. Bu makale İslamcı köktencilikten İs-lam-fobisine geçiş sürecini tartışmakta ve batıda yaygınlaşmakta olan İs-lam-fobisi veya “Müslüman karşıtlığı”nın yeni bir eşitsizlik kaynağı olarak görülüp görülemeyeceğini tartışmaktadır.
Anahtar Kelimeler: İslam fobisi, Siyasal İslam, Eşitsizlik, Kökten Dincilik, Uluslararası Terör.

Theories of Secularization: From ‘Positivist Certainty’ to a Mere Social Myth?

by Kayhan Delibas

Eurasian Journal of Educational Research (EJER) is an academic journal.
Published By: Ani Publishing (Ani Yayincilik)
EJER | 2006 (Winter) Issue 22
Frequency: 4 issues per year
Print ISSN: 1302-597X

Founding fathers of sociology Karl Marx (1969, pp.303-304; 1990, pp.63-64), Emile Durkheim (1965, pp.75-476)... more
Founding fathers of sociology Karl Marx (1969, pp.303-304; 1990, pp.63-64), Emile Durkheim (1965, pp.75-476) and Max Weber (1974, pp.181-182) shared the view that traditional religion was becoming more and more trivial to the modern world. They all agreed that secularization was an inevitable process (Giddens, 1993, p. 477). For more than one and a half century, the following generations of sociologists did not question this modernist view either. They viewed this process as an inevitable and straight path in all of the modernizing societies. However, from the early 1970s and onwards, the modernist tradition, positivist sociology, and above all the ‘grand narrative’ of modernity was put under an increasing intellectual scrutiny. This new approach has led to a great diversification in secularization theories. What had started as a ‘positivist certainty’ and an indispensable feature of modernization, rationalization and urbanization, came to be defined as a social myth. First of all, in order to examine the existing theories of secularization, this paper aims to make an analytical literature review. Secondly, existing theories of secularization will be compared. Third, this paper aims to provide a broader understanding and objective approach to the discussions on secularization in general.

Key Words: secularization theories, modernity, rationalization, positivist sociology, social myth.

Conceptualizing Islamic Movements: The Case of Turkey

by Kayhan Delibas

Conceptualizing Islamic Movements: The Case of Turkey
International Political Science Review January 2009 30: 89-103,
IPSR - Volume 30, Number 1, January 2009

The September 11 atrocities have brought Islamic movements to the focus of world media and academic discussions on an... more The September 11 atrocities have brought Islamic movements to the focus of world media and academic discussions on an unforeseen scale. However, not only the media reports but most academic discussions have confused the reason with the results in their studies. Sociological analyses suggested that these movements arise not solely on religious grounds or based on the 'hatred of the Western civilization', but as a response to diverse socio-economic and political conditions that are being aggravated by rapid urbanisation and globalisation processes. In order to shed light on the way in which Islamic movements emerge and raise the case of Turkish Islamic movement will be analyzed.

Key words: Islamic movements, globalization, neoliberlism, grassroots activism, rapid urbanization.

Challenging democracy? The role of political Islam in post-Suharto Indonesia

by Felix Heiduk

Felix Heiduk: Challenging democracy? The role of political Islam in post-Suharto Indonesia, in: Shiping Hua (ed.): Islam and Democratization in Asia, Amherst: Cambria Press, 2009, pp. 218-246

Theory of Islamic Politics and Objectives of Islamic Law.

by Muhsin Parari

first part of an article( Malayalam ) being published in Bodhanam.

an attempt to apply the theory of 'Objectives of Islamic law/ Shari'ah' to the theory of Islamist Politics. an attempt to apply the theory of 'Objectives of Islamic law/ Shari'ah' to the theory of Islamist Politics.

Reviving the Islamic Caliphate: Hizbut Tahrir and its Mobilization Strategy in Indonesia

by Mohamed Nawab

Terrorism and Political Violence, Volume 22, Issue 4 October 2010 , pages 601 - 622

Hizbut Tahrir (HT) is a transnational Islamic movement operating in over forty-five countries. Literature on HT has... more Hizbut Tahrir (HT) is a transnational Islamic movement operating in over forty-five countries. Literature on HT has focused mainly on its activities in Central Asia and Europe. As such, when the HT chapter in Indonesia organized the largest-ever political gathering staged by HT, many observers were caught by surprise. Yet despite the importance of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), little is known about the organization in the English-speaking world. This paper is an attempt to present empirical data on this group. The paper argues that HTI's usage of different mobilization strategies has resulted in its ability to effect policy changes in Indonesia.

Reviving the Caliphate in Malaysia

by Mohamed Nawab

Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Volume 32, Issue 7 July 2009 , pages 646 - 663

Operating in over 43 countries in the world, Hizbut Tahrir (HT) is presently active in Europe, the Middle East,... more Operating in over 43 countries in the world, Hizbut Tahrir (HT) is presently active in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and more recently in Asia. Today, HT is becoming increasingly prominent in Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia. Yet despite its rapid growth in the region, little is known about HT chapters in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia. In light of the dearth in scholarship on Hizbut Tahrir Malaysia (HTM), this article aims to shed some light on the HTM and analyze the likelihood of its emergence as a political force in the country.

Ulama in Pakistani Politics

by Mohamed Nawab

South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, Volume 32, Issue 2 August 2009 , pages 230 - 247

The ulama are important figures within Muslim societies. In the Indian sub-continent, their influence has transcended... more The ulama are important figures within Muslim societies. In the Indian sub-continent, their influence has transcended the socio-religious realm to include the political realm as well. This paper is an attempt to examine the role of the ulama in Pakistani politics. It also seeks to build a trajectory of their future influence in Pakistani politics. There are four parts to the paper. The first part will examine the historical role of the ulama in the Indian sub-continent. The second part will examine their politics in the period between 1947 and 1979. The third part will highlight how the rise to power of General Zia-ul-Haq and the Afghanistan War of 1979 emboldened the ulama to start seriously contesting for political power. Lastly, the paper will look at how the ulama were again empowered by the military regime of General Musharraf to play an important role in Pakistani politics.

Hizbut Tahrir

by Mohamed Nawab

in Shahram Akbarzadeh (ed) Routledge Handbook for Political Islam

Transnational Islam and Its Impact on Malaysia and Indonesia

by Mohamed Nawab

Middle East Review of International Affairs Journal ,Volume 15, No. 2 (June 2011)

This article argues that the Islamist resurgence of the 1980s and anti-American sentiments following the events of... more This article argues that the Islamist resurgence of the 1980s and anti-American sentiments following the events of September 11 have led to the strengthening of political Islamism in both Malaysia and Indonesia. It also discusses the impact of Islamist movements and governments outside of Southeast Asia (i.e., the Middle East) in shaping the political thinking of Islamist organizations and political parties in Southeast Asia and how this has affected the politics of both Indonesia and Malaysia.

Transnational Network of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia

by Mohamed Nawab

Southeast Asia Research, Volume 18, Number 4, December 2010 , pp. 735-755(21)

This paper explores the regional network of the Indonesian chapter of Hizbut Tahrir (HT), a transnational Islamic... more This paper explores the regional network of the Indonesian chapter of Hizbut Tahrir (HT), a transnational Islamic group aiming to revive the Islamic Caliphate. Focusing on the chapter of HT in Indonesia, the paper highlights how Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) supports the activities of other HT chapters in the region and beyond. The key argument of the paper is that an understanding of HTI's transnational activism brings new insights to the current understanding of HT as a transnational movement. The author seeks to show the linkages between HTI and other HT chapters around the world and to analyse the implications of HTI's transnational activism.

L'islamismo radicale sudanese e il potere

by Irene Panozzo

paper presented at Italian Society for Political Science (SISP) annual congress, Catania, 20-22 September, 2007.

The Martyr Industry: Political Islam and the Socioreligious Discourses of Suicide Martyrdom in the Second Intifada

by Steve Welsh

A provocatively titled paper analyzing the institutional structures that foster the conditions for marginalized youth to pursue martyrdom.  A final paper for Hassan Abbas' "Political Islam" course at Columbia.

A great deal of ink has been spilled in the last decade attempting to decrypt the riddle of how militant Islamist... more A great deal of ink has been spilled in the last decade attempting to decrypt the riddle of how militant Islamist movements identify, recruit, and mobilize actors to commit suicide attacks. Such operations have been utilized in many different geopolitical contexts since the 1980ʼs, but it is within the context of the Second Palestinian Intifada that the phenomenon proliferated at an unprecedented rate, on behalf of organizations like Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. How do we make an accounting for how individual actors were recruited and mobilized for such acts, and to what degree are these motivations in dialogue with orthodox Islamic beliefs? What other frameworks can we employ to understand by what means organizations mobilize suicide attacks? Lastly, what lessons can be learned from the Second Intifada that might help identify and prevent similar attacks in the future?

Complicity and Dissent in the Islamic‐Political Discourse of Saudi Arabia

by Steve Welsh

Final Paper for Richard Bulliet's "History of the Modern Middle East"

An analysis of the nature of authority in Saudi Arabia based on
Mamoun Fandy's "Religion, Social Structure,... more An analysis of the nature of authority in Saudi Arabia based on
Mamoun Fandy's "Religion, Social Structure, and Political Dissent in Saudi Arabia" Gwenn Okruhlik's "Networks of Dissent: Islamism and Reform in Saudi Arabia" and Juan Cole's "Engaging the Muslim World"

Kemalist Söylemde Türban - Bir Milli Kimlik Meselesi

by Alper Yagci

This article was published online at Birikim's (political journal in Turkish) website on 21 July 2008.

Wearing headscarves at university campuses has been effectively (though inconsistently) banned in Turkey since early... more Wearing headscarves at university campuses has been effectively (though inconsistently) banned in Turkey since early 1980s, and this has been a major point of political contestation between Muslim conservatives, who opposed the ban, and the culturally pro-Western political establishment, who advocated the ban. This article undertakes a detailed discursive study of the major court decisions pertaining to the issue. It finds out that the public legal discourse on headscarf has been grounded on a desire to promote a particularly Turkish interpretation of Islam. In this officially sanctioned religious interpretation, the headscarf would be rendered non-Islamic, and it would thus be unnecessary to insist on a right to wear headscarves. The article argues that the state’s such involvement in theological questions, imposed on young women by the force of law, is actually contrary to the principle of secularism, notwithstanding its advocates’ claim to protect secularism against the Muslim conservative challenge.

British Muslim Minorities Today: Challenges and Opportunities to Europeanism, Multiculturalism and Islamism

by Tahir Abbas

The State We Are In: Identity, Terror and the Law of Jihad

by Tahir Abbas

Los partidos islamistas, ¿nuevos interlocutores?

by Beatriz Tome

published in UNISCI Discussion Papers, Nº 27 (Octubre / October 2011)

En este artículo analizamos la aproximación del gobierno socialista de Rodríguez Zapatero (2004-2011) al Islam... more En este artículo analizamos la aproximación del gobierno socialista de Rodríguez Zapatero (2004-2011) al Islam Político moderado o reformista en el arco mediterráneo. Sostiene que no existe un plan global y comprehensivo para abordar el fenómeno y que la actuación del Ejecutivo sigue dos grandes líneas generales de actuación exterior: (a) europeización de su política exterior y adhesión –e impulso- de los marcos de cooperación multilaterales de la Unión Europea, como el Proceso de Barcelona; y (b) primacía de las relaciones bilaterales con los gobiernos de la zona, lo que dificulta el equilibrio entre intereses y valores. La Alianza de Civilizaciones, convertida en una iniciativa política y cultural, no es un marco válido de análisis ni actuación. Es necesario recurrir, por tanto, a otros elementos e instrumentos de la política exterior española. En el caso del Magreb, se analiza el lugar que ocupan las organizaciones islamistas en las políticas de promoción de la democracia y defensa de los derechos humanos. En Oriente Medio, la implicación española en el proceso de paz y la inclusión o rechazo de los actores de referencia islamista en el mismo.

L'Islamisme Turc à L'épreuve Du Pouvoir Municipal. Production d'espaces, pratiques de gouvernement et gestion des sociétés locales.

by Elise Massicard

Published in 'Critique Internationale', 2009/1 (n°42)

C’est sur un discours de rupture que les islamistes ont conquis les mairies au milieu des années 1990, en s’élevant... more C’est sur un discours de rupture que les islamistes ont conquis les mairies au milieu des années 1990, en s’élevant contre un « système » décrit comme injuste et corrompu, et en capitalisant sur les désillusions de l’électorat à l’égard des partis établis. Dans quelle mesure cependant ont-ils introduit de nouvelles pratiques, une fois installés aux commandes municipales ? Si les mairies islamistes ont mis en place des changements symboliques faisant la part belle à l’islam, leurs traits oppositionnels ont vite laissé la place à la production d’espaces conservateurs et à un discours de la bonne gestion. Les mairies islamistes turques ont introduit de nouveaux modes de gouvernement, au niveau de la consultation des citoyens, de la transparence et de la probité, mais elles les ont plus souvent vantés dans leurs discours que mis en pratique, confirmant ainsi une continuité avec les équipes précédentes. Enfin, les mairies islamistes ont opéré un tournant libéral ; leur alliance avec les couches populaires – leur principal soutien électoral – s’est produite à travers l’organisation de la bienfaisance à grande échelle, qui permet en outre d’intégrer dans les réseaux municipaux associations, donateurs et cercles entrepreneuriaux. Cette approche par le biais des pratiques de pouvoir permet de reconsidérer la spécificité islamiste, question qui ne concerne pas seulement l’AKP.