In his speech at the UN General Assembly in September 1998, Mohammad Khatami proposed to analyse the principle elements of American culture in terms of Puritan history and influence. Similarly, in... Show moreIn his speech at the UN General Assembly in September 1998, Mohammad Khatami proposed to analyse the principle elements of American culture in terms of Puritan history and influence. Similarly, in an interview with CNN, he invoked Tocqueville’s Democracy in America to highlight the religious foundations of American democracy, a gesture that caused a vexatious envy among some American politicians and political pundits. In this essay the author argues that such references reflect not just Khatami’s erudition but also highlight central tenets in his political philosophy.1 Show less
US foreign policy and political Islam today are deeply intertwined. Policymakers, particularly since 9/11, have demonstrated an inability and/or unwillingness to distinguish between radical and... Show moreUS foreign policy and political Islam today are deeply intertwined. Policymakers, particularly since 9/11, have demonstrated an inability and/or unwillingness to distinguish between radical and moderate Islamists. They have largely treated political Islam as a global threat similar to the way that Communism was perceived. However, even in the case of Communism, foreign policymakers eventually moved from an ill-informed, broad-brush, and paranoid approach personified by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to more nuanced and pragmatic policies that led to the establishment of relations with China in the 1970s, even as tensions remained between the United States and the Soviet Union.1 Show less
The state became central to Islamism not because Islam theologically entailed it, but because of socio-political formations that developed in the early twentieth century. The article analyses how... Show moreThe state became central to Islamism not because Islam theologically entailed it, but because of socio-political formations that developed in the early twentieth century. The article analyses how these historical developments are reflected in the writings of Abul Ala Maududi, whose influence has crossed the frontiers of India to influence Islamist movements across the Arab world. In doing so, the author offers a critique of the pervasive view that the importance of the state stems from a presumed lack of separation between religion and politics in Islam. Show less
Islamic activist movements and parties have become crucial political players throughout the Muslim world. In a recent policy advice to the Dutch government, the Netherlands’ Scientific Council for... Show moreIslamic activist movements and parties have become crucial political players throughout the Muslim world. In a recent policy advice to the Dutch government, the Netherlands’ Scientific Council for Government Policy argues that the EU should recognize Islamic activism as a potentially constructive force for promoting democracy. The EU should use its renewed Euro-Mediterranean policy for the Middle East to support the participation within the political system of all constructive political parties, including Islamic parties.1 Show less
Islamist and Leftist movements have increasingly cooperated in a range of political activities. The authors compare the forms of such cooperation in Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen, illustrating the... Show moreIslamist and Leftist movements have increasingly cooperated in a range of political activities. The authors compare the forms of such cooperation in Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen, illustrating the strategic importance of cross-ideological alliances for advancing agendas in the face of repressive regimes. However, the comparison also reveals that it remains uncertain if the alliances will gain enough strength to transform political landscapes, and unlikely that cooperation will forge a shared political vision or ideology. Show less
Second generation activists such as Yusuf al-Ayiri are now far more important than Osama bin Laden. They are regarded as true role models, the few who defend ideals and want to change “reality.”... Show moreSecond generation activists such as Yusuf al-Ayiri are now far more important than Osama bin Laden. They are regarded as true role models, the few who defend ideals and want to change “reality.” The author argues that to understand the appeal of al-Qaeda related groups, we should look not only at their globally communicated doctrines and ideals, but also analyse how these messages are, often locally, connected to political programmes and activism. Show less
Sayyid Qutb, one of the fathers of modern Islamic fundamentalist thought, located physical jihad at the centre of his vision of twentieth century political Islam. Although analysts—particularly in... Show moreSayyid Qutb, one of the fathers of modern Islamic fundamentalist thought, located physical jihad at the centre of his vision of twentieth century political Islam. Although analysts—particularly in the post-9/11 era—have tended to conceptualize physical jihad as a thoroughly warlike enterprise, Qutb’s rhetoric reveals a very different logic at work in the propagation of jihad as a primary means of political transformation in the name of Islam. In fact, Qutb’s most influential work frames jihad as a particular strategy of socio-political activism—an activism geared toward the reinvigoration of particular conceptions of human nature and human agency. Show less
