1st Edition
Islam and Democracy in the Maldives Interrogating Reformist Islam’s Role in Politics
Introduction
1 Interrogating the Reformist Islam Approach
2 The Seeding of Islam as a Modern Institutional Political Religion (1932-1978)
3 Reformist Islam and Modern Nation Building (1932-1978)
4 Islam’s emergence as a modern discursive political religion and institutional consolidation (1978-2003)
5 Reformist Islam, Human Rights, and Democratisation (2003-2009)
6 Explaining Institutionalisation of Islam and Religion-Based Limitations
Conclusion
Biography
Azim Zahir is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Muslim States and Societies, the University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
The history of religion and state in the Maldives used to be uncharted territory, but no longer. Azim Zahir charts the history of the transformation of Islam into a modern political religion through processes of modern nation-building. Far from representing the ‘other’ to the modern state, he shows that ‘political Islam’ is among its most enduring legacies. Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, Professor of Political Science and Religious Studies, Northwestern University, USA
This book is a formidable study of the interactive relationship between Islam, politics and democracy in the Maldives. It is deep and rich in its analysis of how this relationship has evolved within a framework of mutual influence among the three variables. It deserves to be read very widely not only for a very informed understanding of the Maldives’ political and religious settings, but also for lessons learned from the Maldives’ experiences that could be applicable to other parts of the Muslim world. Dr Zahir is uniquely qualified to write such a book, given his background and high academic standing. Amin Saikal, Adjunct Professor of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia
