Arguing Islam after the Revival of Arab Politics
Nathan J. Brown
Abstract
This book analyzes the politics of religion in the Arab world after the emergence of new public spheres over the past few decades. By examining those spheres as they really are, rather than measuring them against an ideal of democratic deliberation, the arguments and the spheres within which they are occur are revealed to be lively and increasingly participatory but also polarizing, divisive, and far from egalitarian. While they have grown in force, these spheres are not efficacious, leading to a widening gap between regimes and the societies they govern. Focusing on arguments aired in new and ... More
This book analyzes the politics of religion in the Arab world after the emergence of new public spheres over the past few decades. By examining those spheres as they really are, rather than measuring them against an ideal of democratic deliberation, the arguments and the spheres within which they are occur are revealed to be lively and increasingly participatory but also polarizing, divisive, and far from egalitarian. While they have grown in force, these spheres are not efficacious, leading to a widening gap between regimes and the societies they govern. Focusing on arguments aired in new and old media, neighborhood discussions, and parliaments, the book probes debates over constitution, family law, and education in depth. It shows how these various forums where arguments take place are increasingly linked, forming not a uniform citizenry but instead a badly divided one. The linkages among the spheres allow a leader’s words to followers to be overheard and then lampooned by opponents. Various groups become more acutely aware of how deeply they differ. As arguments are detached from the authority of the person making them, they spread in ways that can divide as well as persuade. Without a strong political process to forge agreement and reward coalition building, the reborn Arab politics is exciting and vital but also noisy, rough, and often ineffective.
Keywords:
politics of religion,
Arab world,
constitution,
family law,
education,
Arab politics,
coalition building
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2016 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780190619428 |
| Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: November 2016 |
DOI:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190619428.001.0001 |
Authors
Affiliations are at time of print publication.
Nathan J. Brown, author
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director, Institute for Middle East Studies, The George Washington University
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