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Summary
Summary
Are Islam and democracy on a collision course? Do Islamic movements seek to "hijack democracy?" How have governments in the Muslim world responded to the many challenges of Islam and democracy today? A global religious resurgence and calls for greater political participation have been major forces in the post-Cold War period. Across the Muslim world, governments and Islamic movements grapple with issues of democratization and civil society. Islam and Democracy explores the Islamic sources (beliefs and institutions) relevant to the current debate over greater political participation and democratization. Esposito and Voll use six case studies--Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Sudan--to look at the diversity of Muslim experiences and experiments. At one end of the spectrum, Iran and Sudan represent two cases of militant, revolutionary Islam establishing political systems. In Pakistan and Malaysia, however, the new movements have been recognized and made part of the political process. Egypt and Algeria reveal the coexistence of both extremist and moderate Islamic activism and demonstrate the complex challenges confronting ruling elites. These case studies prove that despite commonalities, differing national contexts and identities give rise to a multiplicity of agendas and strategies. This broad spectrum of case studies, reflecting the multifaceted relationship of Islam and Democracy, provides important insight into the powerful forces of religious resurgence and democratization which will inevitably impact global politics in the twenty first century.
Author Notes
John L. Esposito is at Georgetown University. John O. Voll is at Georgetown University.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
The authors, respected scholars of Islam and the Middle East, argue that democracy (the demand for inclusion, government accountability, and participation) has become part of the political discourse in many Muslim societies. "Many Muslims have made advocacy of democracy the political litmus test for the credibility and legitimacy of regimes and for political parties and opposition." From that perspective, the authors examine, as case studies, political ferment in Iran, Sudan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Algeria, and Egypt. Overall, the authors view "democratic Islam" with favor, and tend to blame regime-generated repression in Algeria, Egypt, and Pakistan for much of the violence in those countries. While their argument has merit, it is also the case that some Muslim leaders and groups--e.g., Hezbollah in Lebanon, the so-called Taliban in Afghanistan, Hassan al-Turabi in Sudan--are ferocious enemies of all Western-inspired democratic ways, and espouse the vision of a strict Islamic regime as the cure for all social and political ills. The tug, unfortunately, is both ways, toward democracy and toward repression, and the outcome unclear. At all events, the authors weigh in with a nuanced, complex, and well-reasoned argument, and the book is highly recommended for general and academic readers seeking further light on this subject. V. T. Le Vine Washington University
Table of Contents
| Introduction | p. 3 |
| 1 Islam and Democracy Heritage and Global Context | p. 11 |
| 2 State and Opposition in Islamic History | p. 33 |
| 3 Iran Revolutionary Islam in Power | p. 52 |
| 4 Sudan the Mahdi and the Military | p. 78 |
| 5 Pakistan the Many Faces of an Islamic Republic | p. 102 |
| 6 Malaysia the Politics of Multiculturalism | p. 124 |
| 7 Algeria Democracy Suppressed | p. 150 |
| 8 Egypt Governmental, Populist, and Extremist Islam in Conflict | p. 173 |
| Conclusion | p. 192 |
| Notes | p. 203 |
| Suggestions for Further Reading | p. 221 |
| Index | p. 224 |
