In this article, philosopher Nigel Dower outlines the logical implications of the relations between religion, ethics, and development. In doing so, he shows the importance of making explicit the... Show moreIn this article, philosopher Nigel Dower outlines the logical implications of the relations between religion, ethics, and development. In doing so, he shows the importance of making explicit the values, assumptions, and conceptions that inform discussions of development. Only by acknowledging that all development agendas are value-driven, is a fruitful dialogue between religious and secular approaches to development possible, even if they will continue to disagree about desirable outcomes. Show less
On 15 December 2006 Marloes Janson (Zentrum Moderner Orient, Berlin) and Dorothea Schulz (Indiana University) convened a workshop titled “Piety, Responsibility, Subjectivity: Reconfigurations of... Show moreOn 15 December 2006 Marloes Janson (Zentrum Moderner Orient, Berlin) and Dorothea Schulz (Indiana University) convened a workshop titled “Piety, Responsibility, Subjectivity: Reconfigurations of the Moral Economy of Gender Relations in Contemporary Muslim Africa” at the Snoeck Hurgronje Huis, Leiden. The workshop and the subsequent public event were sponsored by ISIM, in cooperation with the Knowledge Centre Religion and Development and ZemZem, Journal for the Middle East, North Africa, and Islam. Show less
Secularism is often seen as anathema to Islamic traditions. The findings from research on the responses of Muslims in Cape Town to state secularism and societal secularization in postapartheid... Show moreSecularism is often seen as anathema to Islamic traditions. The findings from research on the responses of Muslims in Cape Town to state secularism and societal secularization in postapartheid South Africa indicate the emergence of an ambiguous accommodation between Muslims and the secular state, and thus challenge reductionist assumptions about the relation of Islamic traditions to secularism. Show less
In Morocco, as elsewhere, Western development initiatives face increasing competition from transnationally active Islamic movements, thereby complicating the dynamics of transnational-state-local... Show moreIn Morocco, as elsewhere, Western development initiatives face increasing competition from transnationally active Islamic movements, thereby complicating the dynamics of transnational-state-local interaction. The author analyses these dynamics by focusing on the dilemmas that arose when, in his research site, a pious Muslim won a sum of money in the “Ramadan lottery” and was engulfed by contradictory transnational advice. Ironically, this competition between global players boosted the legal agency of local actors. Show less
Middle Eastern Islamists have been unequivocal advocates of bringing their societies up to the technological level of modern industrial society. In fact, the most fertile recruiting ground for... Show moreMiddle Eastern Islamists have been unequivocal advocates of bringing their societies up to the technological level of modern industrial society. In fact, the most fertile recruiting ground for Islamist organizations has been students in technological and natural science subjects. As Islamist movements gather strength year by year, and are poised to be the main beneficiaries of any turn towards democratic government in the region, it seems imperative to gain an insight into their ideas on economic issues. Show less
The collection “Anatolian Civilizations” reflects Erol Albayrak’s desire to examine the concept of fashion as transmitted by inhabitants of Anatolia. Albayrak envisions his collection as a passage... Show moreThe collection “Anatolian Civilizations” reflects Erol Albayrak’s desire to examine the concept of fashion as transmitted by inhabitants of Anatolia. Albayrak envisions his collection as a passage through time: rooted in the kingdom of Hittites, influenced by ideas of beauty in Urartu, reflecting the sorrow of Troya, and drenched in the passions and mysteries of the Ottomans. These styles are being re-imagined in a “modern” or novel spirit. Show less
In recent years the role of wealthy entrepreneurs in Muslim political, religious, and social life has been largely neglected. The authors reverse this trend by considering the practices and... Show moreIn recent years the role of wealthy entrepreneurs in Muslim political, religious, and social life has been largely neglected. The authors reverse this trend by considering the practices and orientations of some Kerala Muslim businessmen, who unite the pursuit of particular business interests with efforts to produce a Muslim modernity. Show less
In an effort to counter the unfruitful labelling practices that have characterized dialogue between Western and Muslim Worlds, the German government in cooperation with the Zentrum Moderner Orient... Show moreIn an effort to counter the unfruitful labelling practices that have characterized dialogue between Western and Muslim Worlds, the German government in cooperation with the Zentrum Moderner Orient invited Southeast Asian Islamists to Berlin to engage in a more fruitful exchange of viewpoints. The authors point out that although the discussions did not necessary lead to agreement, the encounters did create room for nuance and understanding. Show less
The 140 million Muslims in India receive very little media attention. The resulting lack of knowledge has assisted Hindu nationalists in cultivating stereotypical depictions, but has hindered... Show moreThe 140 million Muslims in India receive very little media attention. The resulting lack of knowledge has assisted Hindu nationalists in cultivating stereotypical depictions, but has hindered policies aimed at the incorporation of Muslims into Indian society. This article analyzes a recent government report about Muslims in India and shows that the oftcommented upon introversion of Muslims is not an innate propensity of Muslims, but a reaction to decades of exclusion from broader social life. Show less
Muslim leadership of Northern Mozambique historically has incorporated Islamic authority and chiefship at once. Throughout the colonial period, Muslim chiefs defended their version of Islam against... Show moreMuslim leadership of Northern Mozambique historically has incorporated Islamic authority and chiefship at once. Throughout the colonial period, Muslim chiefs defended their version of Islam against non-local conceptions of Islam, such as Sufism and Wahhabism. After independence the links between chiefship and Islam in northern Mozambique became less visible. This resulted primarily from the policies of the post-colonial government, which saw African chiefship and Islam as two separate spheres. Islam was viewed as an “organized faith” similar to Christianity, while chiefship was understood to represent African “traditional authority.” Show less
While the presence of Asian women working as domestics in the rich countries of the Arabian Peninsula is a well-known phenomenon, it is less known that also in Yemen a similar trend has occurred.... Show moreWhile the presence of Asian women working as domestics in the rich countries of the Arabian Peninsula is a well-known phenomenon, it is less known that also in Yemen a similar trend has occurred. The majority of these women come from Somalia and Ethiopia, but there are Asian women as well. Why are migrant women employed as domestics? And which role does religion play in their employment? Show less
The permissability of hymen repair surgery is a controversial topic in Islamic contexts, as the opposing views of doctors convening at the 1987 meeting of the Islamic Organization of Medical... Show moreThe permissability of hymen repair surgery is a controversial topic in Islamic contexts, as the opposing views of doctors convening at the 1987 meeting of the Islamic Organization of Medical Sciences testified. One would expect to find an even more diverse plethora of voices on the Internet, but the authors show that notwithstanding the image of the net as a decentralized medium that spurs pluralism, in practice it functions as a filter in which only a few dominant voices are heard in tremendous duplication. Show less
A reformist brand of Islam emerged and consolidated during the decades of the Somali civil war, which began in the early 1980s—leading up to outright state collapse in 1991. Initially, its socio... Show moreA reformist brand of Islam emerged and consolidated during the decades of the Somali civil war, which began in the early 1980s—leading up to outright state collapse in 1991. Initially, its socio-political position was rather marginal. Proponents of the new brand denounced the dominant local Sufi Islam as well as the Somali clan system, to which it was traditionally closely associated. Soon however, lack of political and military success seems to have forced the Islamists back into the organically grown interaction between Somali Islam and the ubiquitous clan system, its politics, and institutions. At least for the time being. Show less
Immigration and other aspects of globalization have brought a wealth of new ideas, norms, and values into Norwegian society and into its courtrooms as well. Analyzing a court case in which a Muslim... Show moreImmigration and other aspects of globalization have brought a wealth of new ideas, norms, and values into Norwegian society and into its courtrooms as well. Analyzing a court case in which a Muslim man tried to invalidate a marriage that had already been disbanded, the author looks at how boundaries between legal systems can grow blurred, and how competing discourses are mobilized in order to influence the judicial process. Show less
Israeli bombs completely destroyed Beirut’s neighbourhood Haret Hreik in the summer of 2006. Because Hizbullah’s headquarters is located in the neighbourhood, Israeli war planners considered its... Show moreIsraeli bombs completely destroyed Beirut’s neighbourhood Haret Hreik in the summer of 2006. Because Hizbullah’s headquarters is located in the neighbourhood, Israeli war planners considered its destruction of particular symbolic and strategic relevance. For the same reasons, authority of reconstruction carried heightened symbolism and led to contestation between the central government and Hizbullah. In the intersection of these two powerful actors there remains little room for local residents to have a voice in the re-organization of their living spaces. Show less
On 10 November 2006, ISIM organized a conference to honour Abdulkader Tayob’s research and teaching activities as ISIM Chair at the Radboud University Nijmegen from 2002 to 2006. The conference... Show moreOn 10 November 2006, ISIM organized a conference to honour Abdulkader Tayob’s research and teaching activities as ISIM Chair at the Radboud University Nijmegen from 2002 to 2006. The conference brought together prominent scholars working on intellectual trends in the Muslim world. Show less
Turkey is going through hard times. The bastion of secularism in the Middle East is forced to make a choice between the hand of the market and the boot of the army. The AKP’s conservatives gain... Show moreTurkey is going through hard times. The bastion of secularism in the Middle East is forced to make a choice between the hand of the market and the boot of the army. The AKP’s conservatives gain momentum by building Islamic and liberal consent for the market option. The opposition, aligned behind the army and nationalist parties, lacks a clear economic alternative, while it mobilizes around anti-market and anti-Islamist slogans. The electorate heavily weighed on the side of the market in July 2007. Yet, the military and its allies still threaten to destabilize the AKP’s neoliberal democratization. Show less
Gender issues are becoming politicized to the detriment of women in contexts where armed interventions usher in new blueprints for governance and “democratization.” Using illustrations from... Show moreGender issues are becoming politicized to the detriment of women in contexts where armed interventions usher in new blueprints for governance and “democratization.” Using illustrations from Afghanistan, this article shows that the nature of emerging political settlements may jeopardize stated international commitments to a women’s rights agenda, especially in contexts where security and the rule of law are severely compromised, where Islam becomes a stake in power struggles, and where ethnic/sectarian constituencies are locked in power struggles for representation in defence of their collective rights. Show less
