1st Edition

Iraq, Democracy and the Future of the Muslim World

Edited By Ali Paya, John L Esposito Copyright 2011
    240 Pages
    by Routledge

    240 Pages
    by Routledge

    Iraq, democracy and Islam are powerful global forces which shape not only many aspects of the lives of Muslims, but the lives of other citizens of the world as well. This book explores many of the challenging questions posed by the interconnections between these three forces, concentrating on issues which have global significance and which have been less studied up until now. It contains contributions from many of the leading thinkers and academics from this subject area, including the former President of Iran, Seyyed Mohammad Khatami.

    Topics such as the compatibility of Islam and democracy, and the question of whether democracy can be encouraged in the Middle East are looked at carefully. Contributors evaluate the circumstances under which democracy can be imposed by outside force, and asks what forces are driving the confrontation between the West and Islam, before looking at how this confrontation is likely to develop.

    This book presents a comprehensive picture of dynamic change in the geopolitics of our time, and offers a timely contribution to research on Middle East Politics and Islamic Studies.

    Introduction  Section 1: Iraq  1. Religion, Sect, Ethnicity and Tribe: The Uncertainties of Identity Politics in the New Society Faleh Abdul-Jabbar 2. Lessons from Iraq Laith Kubba 3. Kurdistan: Democracy and Future of Iraq Salah Aziz 4. Forging a Third Way: Sistani's Marjaiyya between Quietism and Wilayat al-Faqih Abbas Kadhim  Section 2:  5. Humble Democracy? On the Need for New Thinking about an Aging Ideal John Keane 6. Islamic Democracy: A Valid Concept of an Oxymoron? Ali Paya 7. Promoting Democracy Bhikhu Parekh 8. The Democratic Freedom Deficit in the Middle East Beverley Milton-Edwards  Section 3: The Future of the Muslim World  9. World of Islam, Historical Perspectives and Modern Political Discources Seyyed Mohammad Khatami 10. The Saga of Islam and Democracy in the Middle East John Esposito 11. Islam's Future Imperfect: Fighting over Camels at the End of History Abdelwahab El-Affendi 12. Triumph through Destabilization: The Future of Politcal Islam Mohammad Samiei 13. Reason and revelation in Islamic Political Ethics Abdulaziz Sachedina

    Biography

    Ali Paya is Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Westminster, UK, and Associate Professor of Philosophy at the National Research Institute for Science Policy in Iran.

    John Esposito is Professor of Religion and International Affairs and of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, USA, and Founding Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding: History and International Affairs in the Walsh School of Foreign Services.