Religious and theocratic ideologies and movements Books

Book SynopsisIn the midst of intense religious conflict in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century, theological and political concepts converged in remarkable ways. Incited by the slaughter of French Protestants in the Saint Bartholomew''s Day Massacre, Reformed theologians and lawyers began to marshal arguments for political resistance. These theological arguments were grounded in uniquely religious conceptions of the covenant, community, and popular sovereignty. While other works of historical scholarship have focused on the political and legal sources of this strain of early modern resistance literature, The Immortal Commonwealth examines the frequently overlooked theological sources of these writings. It reveals how Reformed thinkers such as Heinrich Bullinger, John Calvin, Theodore Beza, and Johannes Althusius used traditional theological conceptions of covenant and community for surprisingly radical political ends.Trade Review'In The Immortal Commonwealth, David P. Henreckson navigates the oft-inordinately voluminous literature on Calvinist covenant theologies with the requisite dexterity, interpretive savvy and skills, not to mention much-needed patience to plow through these mostly forgotten and putatively esoteric treatises from an era, again, allegedly known for arid and atrophying Protestant scholastic discourses. Henreckson shows how the central theo-political idea of God as the covenanter has contributed to and ushered in the transformations of political theologies that pertain to Self, Society, and Savior in a refreshing way. It is truly worthy of the Augustinian dictum tolle lege!' Paul C. H. Lim, Vanderbilt University, author of Mystery Unveiled: The Crisis of the Trinity in Early Modern England'The Immortal Commonwealth is a sophisticated and powerful history of the impact of reformed Protestant theology on the politics of early modern Europe … The bibliography is a treasure trove of early modern theological and legal thought. This volume is required reading for understanding early modern European theology or politics.' J. J. Butt, Choice'The Immortal Commonwealth is an impressive debut from a fine scholar. It skilfully combines theology, political thought, and social ethics in one volume. Henreckson creates a compelling historical narrative, before concluding with a chapter on contemporary ethical ramifications in relation to political resistance to tyranny. The application of historical ideas is sometimes a fraught exercise. However, the historical work in the volume is of a high standard and the author does not overstep the line in attempting to retrieve the ideas for today. This is an erudite contribution that deserves commendation.' Simon P. Kennedy, Journal of Religious History'Henreckson's work is especially valuable in three ways. First, on a prima facie reading, he has done solid historical and theological spadework in bringing together these largely forgotten figures to establish their significance as a theological tradition existing across Europe offering a coherent theology of covenant and community … Secondly, in his innovative reading of these sources, in which he interrogates them in both theological and political terms, Henreckson demonstrates the intellectual benefits which can be obtained by going beyond the more common disciplionarly narrow readings of medieval and early modern sources … Finally, his work is valuable, not only as an example of historical retrieval and interdisciplionary analysis, but also as constructive theology.' Elisabeth Rain Kincaid, Political Theology'The Immortal Commonwealth is highly recommended, especially for those interested in Reformed political theology and ethics.' Timothy Baylor, Studies in Christian EthicsTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The covenanting God; 2. The law of the covenant; 3. Breaking covenant; 4. The unaccountable sovereign; 5. Consociational politics; 6. Resisting the devil.

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Book SynopsisThis book draws upon theory and theology to consider how religious institutions engage with post-conflict statebuilding and why they would choose to lend their resources to the endeavour. Drawing from the theologies of Roman Catholicism and Sunni Islam, Dragovic explores their possible motivations to engage alongside the international community.Trade Review''As an international civil servant, Denis Dragovic has seen the importance of religion in political life while serving in conflict zones around the world. This fascinating study adds to that lived experience rigour and scholarship, resulting in an insightful comparative study of Catholicism and Islam. Building on the themes of salvation and justice, Dragovic provides new insights into how the deep purpose that underlies religious belief plays a crucial role in politics.'' - Professor Anthony F Lang, Chair in International Political Theory in the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews and Director of the Centre for Global Constitutionalism ''This book is striking in its appreciation of how religious communities might play a constructive role in rebuilding the state following conflict. It examines Roman Catholic Christian and Sunni Islamic traditions and then focuses in particular on Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dragovic is especially impressive in his commitment to understanding religious perspectives from the inside and also in his description of the role of religious institutions on the ground.'' - Professor George Rupp, Columbia University, formerly Dean of the Harvard School of Divinity and President of International Rescue CommitteeTable of ContentsSeries Editor Introduction; John Brewer Author Preface Introduction 1. Religion and Post-Conflict Statebuilding 2. Roman Catholic View of the State 3. Salvation as the Catholic Post-Conflict Statebuilding Imperative 4. Sunni Islam and the State 5. Justice as the Sunni Post-Conflict Statebuilding Imperative 6. Bosnia and Herzegovina Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThough neither king nor priest, Spanish dictator Francisco Franco nevertheless conceptualized his right to sovereignty around a political theology in which national identity resembled a sacred cult. Using Franco’s Spain and la España sagrada as a counterpoint to European secularity’s own development, By the Grace of God is the first sustained analysis within Spanish cultural studies of the sacred as a political category and a tool for political organization.William Viestenz shows how imagining national identity as a sacred absolute within a pluralistic, multicultural state leads to dictatorship, scapegoating, and exceptional violence. Using novels and poetry from the Catalan literary tradition and stalwarts of the Castilian canon, his analysis demonstrates that the sacred is a concept that spills over into key areas of secular political imagination.By the Grace of God offers an original theory of the sacred that challenges Table of ContentsAcknowledegments 1. Introduction: La Espana Sagrada as a Political Category Francoist Spain, Post-Secularism, and a Sacred Politics The Sacred's Slippage into the Profane The Sacred and Metaphysics Spain's 'Time of the Sacred': Literature as a Political Matter Iberian Studies: A Parallax View 2. 'He aqui una plenitud espanola': Catholicism, Cultural Regeneration, and Spanish Essentialism Por Dios hacia el imperio: Spanish First Causes Nineteenth-Century Spain: Cuando la legalidad no basta Spanish Regenerationism: Displacing the Sacred onto the Secular Catholicism as a Social Force: 1936 3. Politics by Other Means: The Sacred Core of Collective Imagining Post-War Stimmung The Scapegoat Mechanism and the Mimetic Reduction of Difference Beyond the Victimary Principle 4. Intimate Strife: Inside Juan Goytisolo's Sovereign Exception Against Sacred Forms Conde Julian's Inclusive Exclusion Human, All Too Human A New Nomos of the Earth? 5. The Eternal Present of Sacred Time 'In illo tempore' Numa's Sacred Wood Killing Time: Ritual Death and the Origins of the Sacred 6. 'Desacralization' and 'Sacrogenesis', or How to Step Outside of Sacred Time Sacred Dialectics Le regard d'autrui: The State's Loving Embrace Rerouting Sacred Time: Tiempo de destruccion 7. Espriu's Sepharad and the Equitable Restoration of Sacred Sovereignty Sacrifice and the Poetic Expulsion of Self The Sacred Bonds of Kinship Death by Way of the Pen: Les hores Espriu's kehre: El caminant i el mur& Final del laberint: Redeeming a Lost Religiousness Rethinking Iberia: A New Temple of Sacred Communion 8. Conclusion: The Aesthetic Disruption of Political Truth Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisThis book engages critically with the different models and approaches for managing religion adopted in Europe, Asia and Oceania. A truly intercontinental volume, this collection brings together high level scholarship from renowned scholars and rising stars in the fields of political theory, Islamic studies, sociology and law.

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Book SynopsisDrawing on a series of case studies, this collective work sheds light on six national trajectories of Islamism. Contributors look at what has been produced by the representatives of political Islam in each case, and the way these representatives have put their words and their ideological aspirations into action within their foreign policies.

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Book SynopsisThis book introduces the history of the rise and spread of Salafism during the 20th century as a global Islamic reform movement. It also explains Salafi tools of methodological reasoning: traditionally used to justify highly conservative positions, they now appear equally effective in defending more liberal life choices.

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Book SynopsisIncorporates the lessons learned from the 2011 Arab revolutions into democratic transition theory.

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Book SynopsisBringing together rigorous, original scholarship from over 60 contributors around the globe, this reference volume examines Turkey's evolution from the early days of the Republic to the present time, offering a critical portrait of a vibrant country at crossroads.

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Book SynopsisPatriotic Ayatollahs explores the contributions of senior clerics in state and nation-building after the 2003 Iraq war. Caroleen Sayej suggests that the four so-called Grand Ayatollahs, the highest-ranking clerics of Iraqi Shiism, took on a new and unexpected political role after the fall of Saddam Hussein.Drawing on previously unexamined Arabic-language fatwas, speeches, and communiqués of Iraq's four grand ayatollahs, this book analyzes how their new pronouncements and narratives shaped public debates after 2003. Sayej argues that, contrary to standard narratives about religious actors, the Grand Ayatollahs were among the most progressive voices in the new Iraqi nation. She traces the transformative position of Ayatollah Sistani as the guardian of democracy after 2003. Sistani was, in particular, instrumental in derailing American plans that would have excluded Iraqis from the state-building processa remarkable story in which an octogenarian cleric takes on the UniteTrade ReviewThe author provides a descriptive picture of Shi'ite Islam and superb characterization of the post-2003 political situation in Iraq. This deeply sourced narrative is a comprehensive, comparative political study of the internal political dynamics in Iraq and to a lesser extent the influence from neighboring Iran. This is a clear contribution to an understanding of contemporary politics in Iraq. * Choice *Sayej meticulously chronicles Sistani's influence in [Iraq] and his steady transformation from an unseasoned politician to a figure with a deep understanding of institutions.... Well-researched and persuasively argued. * LSE's Middle East Centre Blog *Caroleen Marji Sayej has provided a timely analysis of the political role of Iraq's Shi'i clerics in post-Ba'thist Iraq... Sayej successfully challenges the oft-invoked binary descriptions of secular versus religious in Middle Eastern politics. * MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL *

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Book SynopsisFrom Paris to San Bernardino, Barcelona to Manchester, home-grown terrorism is among the most urgent challenges confronting Western nations. Attempts to understand jihadism have typically treated it as a form of political violence or religious conflict. However, the closer we get to the actual people involved in radicalization, the more problematic these explanations become. In this fascinating book, Kevin McDonald shows that the term radicalization unifies what are in fact very different experiences. These new violent actors, whether they travelled to Syria or killed at home, range from former drug dealers and gang members to students and professionals, mothers with young children and schoolgirls. This innovative book sets out to explore radicalization not as something done to people but as something produced by active participants, attempting to make sense of themselves and their world. In doing so, McDonald offers powerful portraits of the immersive worlds of social media so fundamental to present-day radicalization. Radicalization offers a bold new way of understanding the contemporary allure of jihad and, in the process, important directions in responding to it.Trade Review"The most important contribution of Kevin McDonald's new book is his illumination of the variety and complexity of individual pathways to so-called jihadism. These pathways do not evince a simple embrace of religious fundamentalism or violent nihilism, or a reaction to Western imperialism, or any kind of indoctrination. And the pathways are not always clearly marked out in advance, but are actively made, at least in part, by the individuals themselves. Anyone who wants to understand how a startlingly wide range of individuals has come to support jihadism should read this book."—Jeff Goodwin, New York University "Professor Kevin McDonald's new book is an incisive interdisciplinary contribution furthering our understanding of radicalization processes through a sociology of experience perspective. Based on extensive field interviews with extremists and social media profiles of foreign terrorist fighters, this book focus on how extremists experience reality and how they respond to it. Anyone who seriously wants to understand violent extremism must read this book. Also policymakers need to pay attention as it has huge policy implications how we approach prevention work and strategies."—Dr Magnus Ranstorp is Quality Manager of the EU Radicalization Awareness Network - Centre of Excellence. He also leads all terrorism and extremism research at the Swedish Defense University "Radicalization offers an accessible, rich account of the lived experience of radicalization. It encourages readers to carefully consider the processes through which some individuals make sense of fear, suffering, hostility, and, at times, the fun in being transgressive by adopting distinctive conceptual frameworks—frameworks that may lead to supporting jihadism and violence."—Social Forces "Radicalization undoubtedly adds an original and important perspective to the current debate on radicalization."—American Journal of Sociology "The essential merit of this book is to break with the paradigm of 'indoctrination of young victims'. This work paves the way for a much more complex approach to radicalization based more on the idea of active transformation of actors displaying a desire for political and moral change."—Revue française de sociologie "[A] fascinating read […] The second chapter is a particularly brilliant piece of digital ethnography[. McDonald's book] undoubtedly adds an original and important perspective to the current debate on radicalization."—American Journal of SociologyTable of Contents1. Rethinking Radicalization 2. Distant Suffering 3. DIY Religion: hidden worlds, from fear to bliss 4. Mediating Violence: filming the self 5. From Drug Dealer to Jihadist 6. The Gamification of Jihad: the cyber-caliphate 7. My Concern is Me 8. Radicalization: experience, embodiment and imagination Bibliography

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Book SynopsisFrom Paris to San Bernardino, Barcelona to Manchester, home-grown terrorism is among the most urgent challenges confronting Western nations. Attempts to understand jihadism have typically treated it as a form of political violence or religious conflict. However, the closer we get to the actual people involved in radicalization, the more problematic these explanations become. In this fascinating book, Kevin McDonald shows that the term radicalization unifies what are in fact very different experiences. These new violent actors, whether they travelled to Syria or killed at home, range from former drug dealers and gang members to students and professionals, mothers with young children and schoolgirls. This innovative book sets out to explore radicalization not as something done to people but as something produced by active participants, attempting to make sense of themselves and their world. In doing so, McDonald offers powerful portraits of the immersive worlds of social media so fundamental to present-day radicalization. Radicalization offers a bold new way of understanding the contemporary allure of jihad and, in the process, important directions in responding to it.Trade Review"The most important contribution of Kevin McDonald's new book is his illumination of the variety and complexity of individual pathways to so-called jihadism. These pathways do not evince a simple embrace of religious fundamentalism or violent nihilism, or a reaction to Western imperialism, or any kind of indoctrination. And the pathways are not always clearly marked out in advance, but are actively made, at least in part, by the individuals themselves. Anyone who wants to understand how a startlingly wide range of individuals has come to support jihadism should read this book."—Jeff Goodwin, New York University "Professor Kevin McDonald's new book is an incisive interdisciplinary contribution furthering our understanding of radicalization processes through a sociology of experience perspective. Based on extensive field interviews with extremists and social media profiles of foreign terrorist fighters, this book focus on how extremists experience reality and how they respond to it. Anyone who seriously wants to understand violent extremism must read this book. Also policymakers need to pay attention as it has huge policy implications how we approach prevention work and strategies."—Dr Magnus Ranstorp is Quality Manager of the EU Radicalization Awareness Network - Centre of Excellence. He also leads all terrorism and extremism research at the Swedish Defense University "Radicalization offers an accessible, rich account of the lived experience of radicalization. It encourages readers to carefully consider the processes through which some individuals make sense of fear, suffering, hostility, and, at times, the fun in being transgressive by adopting distinctive conceptual frameworks—frameworks that may lead to supporting jihadism and violence."—Social Forces "Radicalization undoubtedly adds an original and important perspective to the current debate on radicalization."—American Journal of Sociology "The essential merit of this book is to break with the paradigm of 'indoctrination of young victims'. This work paves the way for a much more complex approach to radicalization based more on the idea of active transformation of actors displaying a desire for political and moral change."—Revue française de sociologie "[A] fascinating read […] The second chapter is a particularly brilliant piece of digital ethnography[. McDonald's book] undoubtedly adds an original and important perspective to the current debate on radicalization."—American Journal of SociologyTable of Contents1. Rethinking Radicalization 2. Distant Suffering 3. DIY Religion: hidden worlds, from fear to bliss 4. Mediating Violence: filming the self 5. From Drug Dealer to Jihadist 6. The Gamification of Jihad: the cyber-caliphate 7. My Concern is Me 8. Radicalization: experience, embodiment and imagination Bibliography

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Book Synopsis‘Islamophobia’ is a term that has existed since the nineteenth century. But in recent decades, argues Pascal Bruckner in his controversial new book, it has become a weapon used to silence criticism of Islam. The term allows those who brandish it in the name of Islam to ‘freeze’ the latter, making reform difficult. Whereas Christianity and Judaism have been rejuvenated over the centuries by external criticism, Islam has been shielded from critical examination and has remained impervious to change. This tendency is exacerbated by the hypocrisy of those Western defenders of Islam who, in the name of the principles of the Enlightenment, seek to muzzle its critics while at the same time demanding the right to chastise and criticize other religions. These developments, argues Bruckner, are counter-productive for Western democracies as they struggle with the twin challenges of immigration and terrorism. The return of religion in those democracies must not be equated with the defence of fanaticism, and the right to religious freedom must go hand in hand with freedom of expression, an openness to criticism, and a rejection of all forms of extremism. There are already more than enough forms of racism; there is no need to imagine more. While all violence directed against Muslims is to be strongly condemned and punished, defining these acts as ‘Islamophobic’ rather than criminal does more to damage Islam and weaken the position of Muslims than to strengthen them.Trade Review‘Wielding his pen like a scalpel, Pascal Bruckner unmasks the pieties and truisms of left-wing cant with the deftness and precision to which his readers have become accustomed. By virtue of his principled refusal to acquiesce to the commonplaces of contemporary cultural conformity, Bruckner has become nothing less than a hero of our time.’Richard Wolin, City University of New York ‘In the worldwide debate over the Islamist movement, nobody has been more incisive than Pascal Bruckner, and nobody has been more influential. He set the terms of the debate many years ago, and he continues to do so. He is a brilliant writer, and An Imaginary Racism is a characteristically brilliant book.’ Paul Berman, author of The Flight of the Intellectuals ‘Provocative and well-argued, An Imaginary Racism reveals how the concept of Islamophobia has been politicized and distorted, and what this says about the West today. An important work for our times.’ Richard J. Golsan, Texas A&M University‘brave and necessary… Bruckner… has long been a crucial voice in the fight against the new false pieties that are abetting reactionary forces within Islam. We need to attend to his warning, and his promise: “It is impossible to escape the challenge of the century now beginning: In collaboration with the enlightened or moderate Muslims who are its main victims, we must defeat the fanaticism of the Islamists.” This is an “immense task,” Bruckner concludes, but nothing is more necessary if we want democracy to survive, let alone thrive, in the 21st century.’The TabletTable of ContentsA Note on the Text Introduction: A Semantic Revolution Part I The Fabrication of a Crime of Opinion 1. The Disappearance of Race, the Proliferation of Racists 2. A Weapon of Mass Intimidation 3. The Miracle of Transubstantiation Part II The Left Suffering from Denial 4. Islamo-Leftism, or the Conjunction of Resentments 5. An Unnatural Marriage 6. The Victim's Guilt, the Murderer's Innocence Part III Are Muslims the Equivalent of Jews? 7. From the Principle of Equivalence to the Principle of Substitution 8. Exterminations Galore 9. The Jew, An Accursed White 10. A Semantic Racket Part IV Are We Guilty of Existing? 11. The Criminalization of Reticence 12. Minorities, Protection or Prison? 13. The Racism of the Anti-Racists 14. Should the West be De-Colonized? Part V What is God's Future? 15. Is the War on Terror a Sham? 16. Resistance or Penitence 17. Western Values are not Negotiable 8. Weary of God 19. The Grandeur and the Tragedy of Tolerance Epilogue: On History as a Warning Notes

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Book Synopsis‘Islamophobia’ is a term that has existed since the nineteenth century. But in recent decades, argues Pascal Bruckner in his controversial new book, it has become a weapon used to silence criticism of Islam. The term allows those who brandish it in the name of Islam to ‘freeze’ the latter, making reform difficult. Whereas Christianity and Judaism have been rejuvenated over the centuries by external criticism, Islam has been shielded from critical examination and has remained impervious to change. This tendency is exacerbated by the hypocrisy of those Western defenders of Islam who, in the name of the principles of the Enlightenment, seek to muzzle its critics while at the same time demanding the right to chastise and criticize other religions. These developments, argues Bruckner, are counter-productive for Western democracies as they struggle with the twin challenges of immigration and terrorism. The return of religion in those democracies must not be equated with the defence of fanaticism, and the right to religious freedom must go hand in hand with freedom of expression, an openness to criticism, and a rejection of all forms of extremism. There are already more than enough forms of racism; there is no need to imagine more. While all violence directed against Muslims is to be strongly condemned and punished, defining these acts as ‘Islamophobic’ rather than criminal does more to damage Islam and weaken the position of Muslims than to strengthen them.Trade Review‘Wielding his pen like a scalpel, Pascal Bruckner unmasks the pieties and truisms of left-wing cant with the deftness and precision to which his readers have become accustomed. By virtue of his principled refusal to acquiesce to the commonplaces of contemporary cultural conformity, Bruckner has become nothing less than a hero of our time.’Richard Wolin, City University of New York‘In the worldwide debate over the Islamist movement, nobody has been more incisive than Pascal Bruckner, and nobody has been more influential. He set the terms of the debate many years ago, and he continues to do so. He is a brilliant writer, and An Imaginary Racism is a characteristically brilliant book.’Paul Berman, author of The Flight of the Intellectuals‘Provocative and well-argued, An Imaginary Racism reveals how the concept of Islamophobia has been politicized and distorted, and what this says about the West today. An important work for our times.’Richard J. Golsan, Texas A&M University‘brave and necessary… Bruckner… has long been a crucial voice in the fight against the new false pieties that are abetting reactionary forces within Islam. We need to attend to his warning, and his promise: “It is impossible to escape the challenge of the century now beginning: In collaboration with the enlightened or moderate Muslims who are its main victims, we must defeat the fanaticism of the Islamists.” This is an “immense task,” Bruckner concludes, but nothing is more necessary if we want democracy to survive, let alone thrive, in the 21st century.’The TabletTable of ContentsA Note on the Text Introduction: A Semantic Revolution Part I The Fabrication of a Crime of Opinion 1. The Disappearance of Race, the Proliferation of Racists 2. A Weapon of Mass Intimidation 3. The Miracle of Transubstantiation Part II The Left Suffering from Denial 4. Islamo-Leftism, or the Conjunction of Resentments 5. An Unnatural Marriage 6. The Victim's Guilt, the Murderer's Innocence Part III Are Muslims the Equivalent of Jews? 7. From the Principle of Equivalence to the Principle of Substitution 8. Exterminations Galore 9. The Jew, An Accursed White 10. A Semantic Racket Part IV Are We Guilty of Existing? 11. The Criminalization of Reticence 12. Minorities, Protection or Prison? 13. The Racism of the Anti-Racists 14. Should the West be De-Colonized? Part V What is God's Future? 15. Is the War on Terror a Sham? 16. Resistance or Penitence 17. Western Values are not Negotiable 8. Weary of God 19. The Grandeur and the Tragedy of Tolerance Epilogue: On History as a Warning Notes

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Book SynopsisAvailable Open Access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence In the wake of populism, Timothy Stacey’s book critically reflects on what is missing from the liberal project with the aim of saving liberalism. It explains that populists have harnessed myth, ritual, magic and tradition to advance their ambitions, and why opponents need to embrace rather than eschew them. Using examples of liberally oriented activists in Vancouver, it presents an accessible theorization of these quasi-religious concepts in secular life. The result is to provide both a new theoretical understanding of why liberalism fails to engage people, and a toolkit for campaigners, policymakers and academics seeking to bridge the gap between liberal aspirations and lived experiences, in order to promote political engagement and to create unity out of division.Table of Contents1. Alternatives on the Horizon 2. What’s Liberalism Got to Do with It? 3. How to Address Liberalism’s Faults 4. A Variety of Liberalism in Vancouver 5. Myths that Might Save Liberalism: Emotional Supplements to Moral Logics 6. Rituals for Radicals 7. Magical Feelings as the Source and Aim of Myths and Rituals 8. Traditions at the End of History 9. The Truth Won’t Save Us

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Book SynopsisTariq Ramadan is a global phenomenon. A Swiss-born Muslim activist, he is the grandson of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, the radical group credited with inspiring modern Islamic radicalism. Ramadan is fluent in English, French and Arabic. In Europe, he is the most quoted and circulated writer on Islam. His writings are a regular feature of major English-speaking newspapers, but his real message is revealed in his speeches to Muslim groups in France, Africa, and the Middle East. Caroline Fourest has carefully transcribed and translated those speeches and shows that Ramdan's ingenious rhetoric is a Trojan horse, fostering the anti-Semitic and anti-Christian values of fundamentalist Islam on its latest battlefield: Western civilization.

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Book SynopsisAndrew C. McCarthy takes readers back to the real beginning of the war on terror--not the atrocities of September 11, but the first bombing of the World Trade Center in February 1993 when radical Islamists effectively declared war on the United States. From his perch as a government prosecutor of the blind sheik and other jihadists responsible for the bombing, Andrew McCarthy takes readers inside the twisted world of Islamic terror.

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Book SynopsisWhile there is a long-standing history of reflection among Catholics about the proper orientation of Catholicism towards American society, today the American Catholic community confronts a fundamentally new situation. Catholics face the dual threat of an ever more centralized and increasingly omnicompetent state and a new cultural ethos fundamentally incompatible with--and hostile to--Catholicism.Today, American Catholics no longer live as a religious minority in a Protestant society whose commitment to limited government and religious freedom affords Catholics considerable space to live out their faith commitments, and whose Christian character assures the existence of substantial moral commonality. Now, Catholics are a religious minority in a post-Christian society animated by an anthropology and public morality incompatible with Catholic truth and committed to the exclusion of the faith from public life.This new situation demands a rethinking on the part of American Catholics of their place in America and their relationship with American society. These essays seek to assist with this challenging task by casting light on this new situation and exploring its implications for the Church in America.

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Book SynopsisSecularism, Race, and the Politics of Islamophobia shows the ways secularism produces and enables racism and normalizes the racial categorization of Muslim.

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Book SynopsisHow safe is Turkey's liberal democracy? The rise to power in 2002 of the right-leaning Islamic Justice and Development Party ignited fears in the West that Turkey could no longer be relied upon to provide a buffer against the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East. Once hailed by the West as a model of secularism and moderation in the Muslim world, Turkey is now seen to be under the influence of the 'creeping Islamisation' of the JDP (or AKP as it is known in Turkey). Yet to what extent has this affected the lives of Turkish citizens? Evangelia Axiarlis here explores the contribution of the JDP to civil liberties and basic freedoms, long suppressed by secular and statist Kemalist ideology, and how this has remained unexamined despite more than a decade in government. In this - the first detailed study of the policies and ideology of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's government - the author examines the extent to which the JDP has worked to improve civil life in Turkey and critically addresses whether a government built on Islamic principles can champion political reform. Exploring how Islam and democracy are neither monoliths nor mutually exclusive, this is a timely contribution to the wider understanding of political Islam.Trade Review"A detailed and thoughtful study of the Justice and Development Party (JDP) in Turkey and the repercussions for Turkish 'secularism' over the decade that it has been in power. Drawing on an impressive variety of sources, this study fills in a gap in the literature by focusing on debates over the meaning of Kemalism and the challenges that the current government poses. Providing a wealth of information on the specific policies of the JDP, such as with regard to constitutional reform, elections, veiling, the Kurdish problem, and relations with Europe, this book illuminates the evolutionary potential of a political movement and the multi-dimensional nature of self-identity." Prof James Piscatori, University of Durham, UK "This book provides a thoughtful and insightful perspective of the tension between the Islamic movement represented by JDP and the secular state in Turkey. It is a timely examination of political Islam and its compatibility with democracy which reflects on sensitive and significant issues in Turkey's policies towards controlling religious institutions and the problematic issues such as the role of military, the Kurdish question, human rights and the ban on using 'scarf' by women in official space. Presenting findings on how both secularism and political Islam can work in favour of progress and development in the Muslim World and offering a unique opportunity for understanding the internal dynamics of Turkish politics, this is an invaluable contribution to the study of political Islam in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey." - Dr Muhammad Kamal, The University of Melbourne, AustraliaTable of ContentsPreface CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 2: A CRITIQUE OF TURKISH SECULARISM CHAPTER 3: THE JDP’s CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRACY CHAPTER 4: THE JDP’s EUROPEAN UNION MEMBERSHIP BID CHAPTER 5: THE JDP AND THE TURKISH MILITARY CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDICES

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Book SynopsisThe Catholic Church claims for itself the title of the true Christian Church founded by Jesus by the mandate he gave on various occasions to Peter, the first pope, and the other apostles, who were the first bishops. To them was entrusted the management of the Church in such a way that it would assist disciples, namely you and me, to find God in our lives and be faithful to his commandments. That is the mission of the Church; to assist each person to unity with God.Through his promotion of a synodal Church, Pope Francis has shown that he is willing to hear the Holy Spirit speaking through each member of the Church. Society has undergone great change in recent decades and there is need for reform within the Catholic Church as well. This reform should include changes to those aspects of its teachings and practices that currently restrict the freedom of the Holy Spirit to give life to the Church.

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The Islamic State movement (ISIS/ISIL/IS) burst onto the world stage in 2014. From its heartland in Syria, where it arose from the chaos of the Syrian Revolt, the organisation has expanded in ideology and membership and now poses a significant threat to the region, if not to the wider world. Moubayed, a Beirut-based journalist who has been analysing Syria and the region for 20 years, has unrivalled access to the movement and its participants. His book is the first inside account of an organisation which has dominated the headlines with a dangerous mix of barbarity and military prowess. In looking at the historical background of ISIS: where it came from, how it evolved, where it stands today and what its aims are for the future to reveal, it will provide, for the first time, a fully-fledged picture of what lies at the heart of the Islamic State.

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Book SynopsisHow can Islam be understood in the context of internal struggles for unity and identity, a rise in anti-Muslim hate crime and continued media portrayals of violence, extremism, warfare and oppression? Looking at Islam as a faith, a whole system with political dimensions and through the lens of Western media, this book sets out to clarify the nature of true Islam and the true nature of Islam.With diverse contributions from Muslims, Christians and individuals with no religious affiliations, this collection of essays respond to the King of Jordan's Amman Message - an initiative seeking to clarify Islam as a religion of peace - in light of recent international events such as the Charlie Hebdo controversy. Presenting fresh perspectives on a frequently misrepresented religion, this book offers a platform for debate about Islam's place within Western culture and political systems, and the role that faith communities can play in seeking peace and reconciliation.Trade ReviewThe book is coming at the right time with a powerful message of hope. By featuring for the first time ever in Europe the richness and the depth of the Amman Message, it gives to everyone - policy makers, media, the public - the tools for a new understanding about Islam and the Muslim World and their true nature. An inspiring call for dialogue, respect and peace. -- Jean-Christophe Bas, Founder and CEO, The Global CompassWe have never more needed a greater understanding of both Islamic extremism and Western Islamophobia than now. This collection of essays is a real contribution to that understanding. Bridges are more difficult to build than walls, and these essays, in their accessible and reflective tones, aim to make a difference more than a point. Their purpose is to ensure that the gift of diversity is not curdled into the curse of division and they know the path to making this happen can only open up by challenging misconceptions on every side. -- Canon Mark Oakley, Chancellor, St Paul’s CathedralIn a world in which ISIS and other terrorists are a global threat and Islamophobia has grown exponentially, Muslim Identity in a Turbulent Age will be welcomed by policymakers and the general public alike. This timely volume discusses and demonstrates the importance of The Amman Message, a major statement by hundreds of major global Muslim leaders and scholars written as a refutation and delegitimation of violent extremism and terrorism in the name of Islam. -- John L. Esposito, University Professor of Religion & International Affairs and author of The Future of IslamHardy, Mughal, and Markiewicz believe the core Islamic identity to be in flux. Muslims search for identity amid an internal struggle for unity in the Muslim world, increases in anti-Muslim hate crimes outside the Muslim world, and continued media portrayals of violence, tyranny, and extremism; the authors observe that it can be difficult for today's Muslim, or non-Muslim, to truly comprehend what Islam is. This book takes up the Amman Message, a statement issued by the king of Jordan in 2004 that calls for tolerance and unity among Muslims, and offers a variety of perspectives from Muslims, Christians, and others about the place of Islam in Western culture and the role that communities of faith can play in pursuing peace. The collection includes a truly diverse array of voices and, consequently, the various contributions vary in quality and impact. However, the work as a whole is a valuable starting point for education, dialogue, and efforts at reconciliation. As Muslims battle over what 'true Islam' is and is not, and anti-Muslim sentiment in the West rises in both frequency and intensity, this book could not be timelier. This accessible, on point, and very useful collection will serve peacemakers at various levels and respects their varying points of view. (Jan.) -- Publishers WeeklyTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Foreword by HRH Charles, Prince of Wales. Foreword by HRH Prince Hussein bin Abdullah. Timeline. Introduction. 1. The History of the Amman Message and the Promotion of the Amman Message Project. Sarah Markiewicz, Research and Teaching Associate, Department of Religious Studies and Intercultural Theology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. 2. Taking the Amman Message to European Audiences: A Message for Muslims and Non-Muslims Alike. Mike Hardy, CMG OBE FRSA, Founding and Executive Director, Centre for Trust Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University, UK. 3. Islam in Europe and the Amman Message: Overview Challenges and Potentials. Rebecca Catto. Assistant Professor of Sociology, Kent State University, Ohio, USA. 4. Islam in the United Kingdom and the Impact of the Amman Message. Fiyaz Mughal, OBE FCMI, Founder and Director, Faith Matters, UK. 5. Young British Muslims: Online Extremism and the Message of Islam. Imran Awan, Associate Professor in Criminology, Birmingham City University, UK. 6. The Amman Message: An Early Confrontation with Extremist Islamic Movements. Jamal Al-Shalabi. Professor of Political Science, Department of International Relations and Strategic Studies, Hashemite University of Jordan, Jordan, 7. The Amman Message: A Counter Narrative to Islamic Fundamentalism. Moh'd Khair Eiedat, Professor for Political Science, Al-Hussain Bin Abdullah II Faculty for International Studies and Political Science, and Director of the Al-Farabi Centre for Culture, Ethics and Politics, University of Jordan, Jordan. 8. The Amman Message as an Invitation to Interfaith Dialogue: A Christian Response. Christine Seeberg, Research and Teaching Associate, Department of Systematic Theology and Dogmatics, Theological Faculty, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. 9. Charlie Hebdo and the Amman Message: A Counter Narrative to Violent Fundamentalism? Steve Rose, Freelance Writer and Journalist, UK. & Faith Matters. 10. The Amman Message 'Other': Repositioning Identity Politics for Dialogue and Justice. Kristin Shamas, Hamra Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of History, University of Oklahoma, USA. 11. Looking Forward: An Impossible Road? Mike Hardy, Fiyaz Mughal and Sarah Markiewicz. Appendix I: The Amman Message (2004). Appendix II: The Three Points of the Amman Message (2005) [Official Version]. Further Reading. The Contributors.

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Book SynopsisRaising awareness of what Islam is, as well as deepening understanding about the lived realities of Muslim people, this book explores the contemporary Muslim experience through first-hand interviews with over a hundred Muslims.Exploring key issues such as women and Islam, extremism and radicalisation, Sharia Law, homosexuality and Islamophobia, the book looks deep into what it means to be Muslim today. The 'voices' of Muslims are showcased throughout the book to highlight the diversity and evolution of Islam, and to show its inherent complexities and contradictions. This is an easy and accessible introduction to Islam combined with discussion surrounding several contentious issues associated with the religion.Trade ReviewThis is an excellent resource to get a personal perspective of what Islam means to Muslims in a practical day to day sense. It also challenges stereotypes about Muslims to get an accurate picture of how Muslims live their lives within a liberal and democratic society. If you want to know about the pluralism within Muslim communities, this book will certainly help. -- Fiyaz Mughal – OBE, Director of Faith MattersHow do Asians in Britain feel about life and their religion? Declan Henry has fluently revealed their wide ranging views with great competence and skill. This is an intriguing perspective seen through the eyes of an emergent and important section of our community. Definitely a work of lasting value. -- Paigham Mustafa, Author, The Quran, God's Message To MankindVoices of Modern Islam offers an insight into the often little-known or misrepresented fundamentals of the faith and the diversity of contemporary UK Muslim opinion: the good, the bad and the ugly. Demonstrating that Muslims are not a single homogeneous uncritical mass, it debunks many stereotypes, while confirming others. Be prepared to have some of your assumptions about Islam challenged. -- Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner, Director of the Peter Tatchell FoundationDeclan Henry has spent extensive time and effort collecting vast and accurate information about Islam and the diversity of its followers. I believe this book is a valuable resource not only for use by Muslims across the UK and further afield, but also for secondary schools, and those researching Islam and its religious and socio-cultural realities in an academic context. -- Dr. Sheikh Ramzy, Imam, Islamic scholar and Director of Oxford Islamic Information CentreTable of ContentsAcknowledgements; Foreword; Introduction; 1. Being Muslim; 2. The Prophet and Islam: A Brief History; 3. The Essence of Islam; 4. Women and Islam; 5. Sex, Arranged Marriages and Sexuality; 6. Sharia Law; 7. Converts; 8. Extremism and Radicalisation; 9. Islamophobia; 10. Other Thoughts and Opinions; References and Further Reading; Index

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Book SynopsisAre Europe's 'Christian values' under threat? Can religion be a pillar of identity and culture? What will be the fate of Christianity in Europe? In this short but bracing book, Olivier Roy traces the Church's long battle against a tide of secularization in Europe. Since the Enlightenment, religion has been losing ground as the source of moral norms. But while the question of truth was contested, Christian values continued to define law and social life in even the most secular and anti-clerical countries--until the 1960s. Ever since, the Church has been swept into a new war of values, reduced to struggling over abortion and same-sex marriage. Mired in scandal, the Church's authority is crumbling, while populist demands pave the way for the final secularization of religion as part of 'national culture'. From one of the most acute observers of our times, 'Is Europe Christian?' represents a persuasive and novel vision of religion's place today.Trade Review'The secularisation of Europe is beyond dispute. … But as Olivier Roy points out in a timely book, it is a process that has taken centuries.' -- Financial Times'Provocative and sprightly' -- Times Literary Supplement‘[A] stimulating and rewarding book.’ -- Christianity TodayAn important contribution to a very difficult discussion.’ -- New Books Network'In Is Europe Christian? [Olivier Roy] offers little comfort to those who hope for the revival of Christian Europe. … I commend [his] book, because it raises questions which must be faced.' -- A.N. Wilson, Standpoint Magazine‘Roy’s fascinating, readable and packed little book reminds us that the story of European secularisation is a long but punctuated one’. -- Theos Think Tank'Roy's book is both complex and powerful, detailed without ever losing sight of the big picture, and full of telling illustrations. It represents a novel vision of the crisis in secularism brought about by its final absorption of religion in national life.' -- Faisal Devji, Professor of Indian History, University of Oxford, and author of 'Muslim Zion''Rivetingly, this unsurpassed authority on the politics of contemporary Islam turns to elucidate the tensions surrounding Christian morality, the scandal of clerical paedophilia, the libertarian individualism that has spread since the 1960s, and caricatural claims to a Christian European identity.' -- Jonathan Benthall, Director Emeritus, Royal Anthropological Institute'For those interested in the deep historical roots of our present political crisis, this book is a must-read. In plain language and with broad strokes, Roy traces the shifting lines of the culture wars that are rattling democracy on both sides of the Atlantic.' -- Philip Gorski, Professor of Sociology, Yale University'Another insightful contribution to our understanding of religion in Europe from Olivier Roy. Rich in historical reference and engaging in its approach, "Is Europe Christian?" brings vital nuance to what is truly a poignant question today.' -- Effie Fokas, Research Associate, London School of Economics Hellenic Observatory, and co-author of 'Religious America, Secular Europe?'‘Contains a wealth of interesting details.’

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Book Synopsis'Sectarianism' is one of the most over-discussed yet under-analysed concepts in debates about the Middle East. Despite the deluge of commentary, there is no agreement on what 'sectarianism' is. Is it a social issue, one of dogmatic incompatibility, a historic one or one purely related to modern power politics? Is it something innately felt or politically imposed? Is it a product of modernity or its antithesis? Is it a function of the nation-state or its negation? This book seeks to move the study of modern sectarian dynamics beyond these analytically paralysing dichotomies by shifting the focus away from the meaningless '-ism' towards the root: sectarian identity. How are Sunni and Shi'a identities imagined, experienced and negotiated and how do they relate to and interact with other identities? Looking at the modern history of the Arab world, Haddad seeks to understand sectarian identity not as a monochrome frame of identification but as a multi-layered concept that operates on several dimensions: religious, subnational, national and transnational. Far from a uniquely Middle Eastern, Arab, or Islamic phenomenon, a better understanding of sectarian identity reveals that the many facets of sectarian relations that are misleadingly labelled 'sectarianism' are echoed in inter- group relations worldwide.Trade Review'No one has written with more theoretical and practical insight on Muslim sectarianism than Fanar Haddad. In this volume, he brings together the best of his insights on a topic that remains poorly understood. An essential read for anyone who is serious about understanding "sectarianism" in the Arab world today.' -- Nader Hashemi, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies, University of Denver, and co-author of 'Sectarianization''A clear-sighted and highly readable analysis of the shifting contexts and meanings of sectarian identification in the modern Arab world. Detailed and politically astute, this book makes a critical contribution to the literature on sectarian political identities.' -- Charles Tripp, Professor of Politics, SOAS University of London'A timely book that debunks several myths about the persistent Sunni-Shi'a divide in the Arab world. Haddad inspires us to reconsider common wisdom and offers a theoretically nuanced interpretation of a phenomenon that has dominated analyses of Iraq and beyond in the last decades.' -- Madawi Al-Rasheed, Visiting Professor, Middle East Centre, LSE, and editor of 'Salman's Legacy''A brilliant exploration of sectarianism. Haddad's unmatched combination of theoretical sophistication, historical perspective and political insight makes this one of the best books available on a critically important topic, and an essential read for understanding the real dynamics of religion, identity and political contention.' -- Marc Lynch, Professor of Political Science, George Washington University'A thought-provoking account of Sunni-Shi'a relations in the Arab world that critiques how the term "sectarianism" has often been used.' -- Toby Matthiesen, Senior Research Fellow in the International Relations of the Middle East, St Antony's College, University of Oxford

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Book SynopsisFinalist for National Jewish Book Award for Writing Based on Archival Material 2022. Jewish political and cultural behaviour during the first half of the twentieth century comes to the fore in this portrayal of a forgotten movement with contemporary relevance. Commencing with the Zionist rejection of the Uganda proposal in 1905, the Jewish Territorialist Movement searched for areas outside Palestine in which to create settlements of Jews. This study analyses the Territorialists’ ideology and activities in the Jewish context of the time, but their thought and discourse also reflect geopolitical concerns that still have resonance today in debates about colonialist attitudes to peoplehood, territory, and space. As the colonial world order rapidly changed after 1945, the Territorialists did not abandon their aspirations in overseas lands. Instead, in their attempts to find settlement solutions for Europe’s ‘surplus’ Jews, they moved from negotiating predominantly with the European colonizers to negotiating also with the ever more powerful non-Western leaders of decolonizing nations. This book reconstructs the rich history of the activities and changing ideologies of Jewish Territorialism, represented by Israel Zangwill’s Jewish Territorial Organisation (the ITO) and, later, by the Freeland League for Jewish Colonization under the leadership of Isaac Steinberg. Via Uganda, Angola, Madagascar, Australia, and Suriname, this story eventually leads us to questions about yidishkeyt, and to forgotten early twentieth-century ideas of how to be Jewish.Trade Review"Beyond Zion...shows that Jewish politics in the pre-War and immediate post-War years were more complex and diverse than we might think."Simon Rocker, The Jewish ChronicleTable of ContentsIntroduction1. Israel Zangwill and the Jewish Territorial Organization 2. Recovering Atlantis: The Freeland League and Jewish Politics3. Freeland versus Zion4. Fitting the Zeitgeist: Territorialism and GeopoliticsConclusionBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisExploring the manifold relationships between religion and public administration, this topical book conceptualises and theorises the diverse influence of religions on the functioning of public administrative systems across the globe.International and comparative in approach, this book analyses the social and public dimensions to religion and its interplay with public administration as a field of social scientific inquiry and an area of professional activity. Taking methodological agnosticism as its sociological perspective to the study of the religious experience, chapters focus on Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to examine diverse religious compositions across both secularised and non-secularised societies and political regimes. The book uses a distinctive theoretical lens to analyse the influence of religions on organisational fit, public service motivation, individual and organisational behaviours and values, bureaucratic discretion, government funding, the delivery of public services, and the dynamics of social cohesion overall. It provides a fresh perspective on religion as a source of legitimacy and basis of accountability, responsibility, and delegation of power in public administration, institutional quality, and ethics.Students and scholars interested in the religious dimensions to public administration, policy, governance and management will find use in this book’s theoretical analyses. Its empirical findings will also be valuable to policymakers working in public administration and leaders of faith organisations engaged in public services.Trade Review‘This book is a revelation about both the influences of religion on public administration and how the field could be enriched from deeper scholarly attention to religion. I am struck by the breadth of the relevance of religion to public administration. The authors illuminate the relevance of the world’s great religions to the field as a whole and to prominent research streams, such as public service motivation. Ongaro and Tantardini offer new perspectives for all public administration scholars to consider and embrace in their research and teaching.’ -- James L. Perry, Indiana University, Bloomington, US‘Religion and Public Administration draws a welcome and comprehensive picture of the ways through which religions influence motivations, behaviours, the ideational basis of a society and ultimately the rules and practices of public administrations. By focusing on Abrahamic and Asian religions, Ongaro and Tantardini offer a global, fresh and convincing interpretation that reconsiders the historical roots of administrative systems through a comparative perspective.’ -- Giliberto Capano, University of Bologna, Italy‘Well-structured and thoughtfully written, this book is the result of an ambitious project. It addresses a truly original topic and provides an authentic look on the vast subject of the relationship between religion and public administration. Attempting to capture various insights, stemming from a wide range of academic corners, the authors managed to bring all this knowledge together in a coherent argument. Their pursuit of the objective of “bridging” while going through a highly fragmented scholarly landscape, can only be welcomed. An impressive tour de force.’ -- Peter Hupe, KU Leuven Public Governance Institute, Belgium‘If there’s anything Max Weber might have been wrong about, it’s the disenchantment of the world – there is very little of the sort, or if there is, it is hardly ever complete. And even where rationalization has set in, few things inform values and institutions in time and space as much as its respective religion(s). Ongaro and Tantardini have shouldered the Herculean task to (re)introduce the public administration community to the function and legacy of religion, and one hopes that many of its members will rise up the challenge and engage with this fascinating and multifaceted account.’ -- Wolfgang Drechsler, Tallinn University of Technology, EstoniaTable of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction: a framework of analysis of the relationship between religion and public administration 2. Religions and religious regimes across the world 3. A PA-focused introduction to Asian religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism 4. A PA-focused introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam 5. Religion as a personality system and individuals’ motivation and behaviour in public services 6. Organisational level themes 7. Religion as ideational basis: reflections on religion as source of legitimacy and basis of accountability, exercise of responsibility, and power in (politics and) public administration 8. A research agenda on religion in public administration: in dialogue with theologians References Index

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Book SynopsisSince 2017, Mozambique has been confronted with a jihadi insurgency. This book looks at the origins of that insurgency, and the broader and longer history of the relationship between Islam and politics in the country. Did Mozambique's Muslim politics always point towards jihad? Eric Morier-Genoud examines the period immediately after independence, when the state engaged in anticlericalism; he then moves across the decades to the 2000s, when the ruling party and the opposition alike courted Muslims for electoral purposes, before reaching the 2010s, when tensions between 'mosque and state' returned. Along the way, he explores a wide variety of phenomena, including the rise of Wahhabism, religious competition, state mediation, secularism, the alleged growth and radicalisation of Islam, and the origins of the ongoing insurgency. What emerges is a rich history, attentive to different branches and elements of the Muslim community, looking far beyond the narrow perspective of jihad. Taking a socio-historical perspective, 'Towards Jihad?' unpacks a complex dynamic, which the jihadi insurgency is in fact now disrupting. Understanding the long history of Muslims' engagement with politics in Mozambique sheds light on where the country has come from, where it stands now amidst violent unrest, and where it might go next.Trade Review'An excellent demonstration of how real grievances meeting an ideology can evolve into political violence. Morier-Genoud describes the evolution of the local insurgency in Mozambique into an affiliate of the Islamic State, accurately focusing on key local factors without denying the impact of IS central on the actual and future processes.' -- Wassim Nasr, journalist, France 24'A clearly argued, intellectually honest and carefully nuanced interpretation of the relationship between Islam and the State that challenges most current readings of both the context and origins of the jihadist struggle in northern Mozambique.' -- Edward A. Alpers, Research Professor Emeritus of History, University of California, Los Angeles'A sensitive exploration of the complex divisions within Mozambican Islam, providing welcome historical context for the insurgency.' -- William G. Clarence-Smith, Emeritus Professor of History, SOAS University of London'Documents succinctly that the insurgency comes not so much from a continuation of Muslim politics in modern Mozambique but as a rupture with it. Business, governments and NGOs concerned by the insurgency, its roots and its future trajectory should read this.' -- Alex Vines, Director of the Africa programme, Chatham House'A thoughtful discussion, shedding precious light on a pressing issue. This will be fundamental for all those trying to understand the jihadi movements in Mozambique, Africa and elsewhere.' -- Vincent Foucher, Senior Research Fellow, CNRS

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Book SynopsisThis comprehensive Handbook examines relationships between religion and international relations, mainly focusing on several world religions - Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Judaism. Providing a timely update on this understudied topic, it evaluates how this complex relationship has evolved over the last four decades, looking at a variety of political contexts, regions and countries.Original chapters analyse how varying religions shape people’s attitudes towards the organisation and operations of political systems worldwide. As well as investigating core issues and topics such as religion, foreign policy, terrorism and international security, the Handbook also provides clarity on topical and controversial issues such as Islamist extremism, Hindu nationalism and Christian civilisationism. Top international contributors offer further analysis via important case studies of religion and international relations across the globe.Providing crucial information, this Handbook will be an excellent resource for higher-level students and researchers of religious studies, international relations and politics, as well as policy makers and professionals from a variety of backgrounds and orientations.Trade Review‘Notwithstanding, this Handbook provides a very informative treatment of relevant concepts, including but not limited to such notions as the advent of “God’s century” (187), the “global God divide” (200), “track two peace negotiations” (42, 201),“scriptualisation of Islam” (163), “sharia reservations” (218) with regard to freedom of religion and belief and the pro-life and pro-choice debates. Case studies of Turkey and India also prove to be very insightful, particularly from a historical viewpoint. This volume also presents excellent indexing of the most salient themes in the study of political actors’ approaches towards faith in global politics, primarily in Western contexts. This includes some insightful analysis of related topics in the fields of security, gender, environment, immigration, international development and foreign policy, among others.’ -- Vahid Nick Pay, The International Spectator‘This is a highly useful account of the impact of religion on international relations, and perhaps an important counterweight to both its absence in much of the literature, and, conversely, the breathless commentary that can suggest inevitable conflict between different belief structures.’ -- Anthony Smith, New Zealand International Review‘The global rise of strident new forms of politicized religion in international relations cries out for a single volume that provides a timely and authoritative overview. This book covers it all - the core issues, the key debates, and the arresting case studies - relating to every religious tradition in all sectors of the world. It is a handbook that will be essential to policymakers and scholars and to anyone concerned about the persistent role of faith in the global politics of the 21st century.‘Table of ContentsContents: Introduction: Religion and international relations in the twenty-first century 1 Jeffrey Haynes PART I CORE ISSUES AND TOPICS 1 Religion in international relations: Theory and practice 5 Jeffrey Haynes 2 The rise and fall of secularism in international relations 24 Daniel Philpott 3 Religion and foreign policy 38 John A. Rees 4 Religion and transnational relations: Bridges, barriers and breakthroughs 52 Jonathan D. James 5 A feminist perspective on religion in international relations 68 Anne Jenichen 6 Political Islam and international relations theory 83 Jocelyne Cesari 7 Religion and international security: From confessionalization to securitization 100 Delphine Allès 8 International religious terrorism 115 Gus Martin PART II DEBATES AND CONTROVERSIES 9 The clash of civilizations, then and now 129 Jonathan Fox 10 Religion and the international politics of climate change 143 Katharina Glaab 11 Religion and international migration 156 Ayhan Kaya 12 Religion and international armed conflict: Why and how religion precipitates and intensifies it 171 Davis Brown 13 Engaging religion through diplomacy: The case of the United States 187 Peter Mandaville 14 Religion and international development 197 Katherine Marshall 15 The international promotion of freedom of religion or belief: Key debates and divides 215 Marie Juul Petersen 16 Religiously affiliated organizations 231 Karsten Lehmann PART III CASE STUDIES 17 Religion and the United Nations 246 Claudia Baumgart-Ochse 18 Religion in the European Union 259 Lucian N. Leustean and Jeffrey Haynes 19 Struggling with jihad over Jerusalem: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s approach to war and peace 275 Turan Kayaoglu 20 International relations and the pope 289 Mariano P. Barbato 21 Religion and America’s international relations 302 Lee Marsden 22 Religion and Iran’s international relations 317 Nikolay Kozhanov 23 Religion and Turkey’s international relations 331 İştar Gözaydın 24 Religion and India’s international relations 348 Catarina Kinnvall 25 Religious diplomacy and US–Israeli relations 363 Daniel G. Hummel Index 375

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Book Synopsis'We fail to understand Islam,' writes Roger Hardy in the introduction to this book, 'and we are paying a high price for our failure.' "The Muslim Revolt" explains, in layman's language, a phenomenon that still seems to madden and perplex both the public and the policy-makers. In setting out to demystify Islamism and the forces that drive it, Hardy suggests that for the last two hundred years Muslims have been in revolt against Western domination - and against the failures and disappointments of modernisation. The book takes the form of a journey. Drawing on his travels and encounters as a journalist over the last thirty years, the author explains the political role of Islam in particular countries and regions - Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, south-east Asia, Europe - while at the same time telling the story of Islamism from its origins in the era of European colonialism to the emergence of Al-Qaeda and the global jihadists of today. In a challenging conclusion, Hardy warns that without a subtler grasp of Islamism and its discontents, the West will lose its much-vaunted battle for Muslim 'hearts and minds'.Trade Review'Roger Hardy is a BBC Overseas Service journalist who has worked on the Islamic world for more than 30 years. This familiarity seems to have affected his judgement or sense of proportion scarcely at all. He ranges from Egypt to Indonesia and from the founders of Islam to its interpreters today. Everywhere he finds the right man or woman to interview, follows up with a crystal-clear summary of the relevant background and rounds off with a shrewd conclusion. The result is scholarly, but scholarship without obfuscation. The Muslim Revolt is a valuable handbook for anyone who seeks to understand the Islamic world.' * The Times *'Accessible and authoritative. It is hard to imagine a more reliable guide across the varied and complex terrains of political Islam.' * Professor Peter Mandaville, George Mason University, author of Global Political Islam *'A sensitive, well-informed and subtle reading of the Islamic revival.' -- * Bernard Haykel, Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University *'No journalist has studied the Islamic world more widely, for longer, or more thoughtfully than Roger Hardy. And no author has packed more wisdom into such a short, clear and readable book.' * Edward Mortimer, author, journalist and Fellow of All Souls, Oxford University *'The Muslim Revolt is the first book you should read if you want to discover and decipher the implications of political Islam. Roger Hardy's firm grasp of history and his long experience on the ground in the Middle East have given him the perspective essential to understanding what is happening today and is likely to happen tomorrow. His clear, concise writing makes it possible for the layman or, indeed, the expert to better comprehend, analyse and even empathise with these complex societies.' * Christopher Dickey Newsweek Paris Bureau Chief *'This admirably concise book by an experienced journalist takes us on a vivid and well-informed journey through various strands of political Islam in their different national and regional contexts - from Indonesia to Europe - and considers how less hostile relations between the West and Islam might be achieved. The Muslim Revolt successfully avoids the superficial and stereotypical renderings common in the mainstream media and makes effective and informative use of direct quotations by political Islamists - a rare and difficult feat.' * Dr John Chalcraft, London School of Economics *Table of Contentscontents: Dream of Revival * Martyrs for Hussein * Culture of Jihad * A Bridge to Africa * The Pious Ancestors * The Turkish Exception * Muslim Archipelago * The Bomb in the Turban * Hearts and Minds * Bibliography * Glossary

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Book SynopsisSince early 2007 a new breed of combatants has appeared on the streets of Mogadishu and other towns in Somalia: the 'Shabaab', or youth, the only self-proclaimed branch of al-Qaeda to have gained acceptance (and praise) from Ayman al-Zawahiri and 'AQ centre' in Afghanistan. Itself an offshoot of the Islamic Courts Union, which split in 2006, Shabaab has imposed Sharia law and is also heavily influenced by local clan structures within Somalia itself. It remains an infamous and widely discussed, yet little-researched and understood, Islamist group. Hansen's remarkable book attempts to go beyond the media headlines and simplistic analyses based on alarmist or localist narratives and, by employing intensive field research conducted within Somalia, as well as on the ground inter- views with Shabaab leaders themselves, explores the history of a remarkable organisation, one that has survived predictions of its collapse on several occasions. Hansen portrays al-Shabaab as a hybrid Islamist organisation that combines a strong streak of Somali nationalism with the rhetorical obligations of international jihadism, thereby attracting a not insignificant number of foreign fighters to its ranks. Both these strands of Shabaab have been inadvertently boosted by Ethiopian, American and African Union attempts to defeat it militarily, all of which have come to nought.Trade Review'Essential reading - Hansen focuses on the complex ideological detours and military tactics of the Shabab from its inception - a succinct and definitive history.' - The Economist 'E‪xceptional‬ - D‪eserve‬[s]‪ a broad readership‬.' - Nicholas van de Walle, Foreign Affairs‪ ‬ 'An intimidatingly impressive book. No one else has amassed this level of detail and matched it with analysis. - Stig Jarle Hansen knows more about the positions, decompositions and recompositions of Al-Shabaab than any Western scholar. This book is a real service to us all.' - Stephen Chan, SOAS, University of London, The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Studies 'Hansen has travelled widely through Somalia for years and is personally familiar with many of the members and leaders of the movement. As a result, his description of events carries a powerful sense of legitimacy - [He] has put together a remarkably a remarkably detailed account of al-Shabaab's history - [and] until the distant and unlikely day when something better comes along, Al-Shabaab in Somalia is the definitive book on the subject.' - Richard J. Norton, Parameters, The US Army War College Quarterly 'A compact and rich history' - RUSI Journal 'If you want to understand the reality of the Al-Shabaab phenomenon in Somalia, its existence in the country and its grounding in that ravaged land, this short book, written by a researcher who actually engaged in person with his research topic, will provide you with more concrete nourishment than a whole raft of official reports.' - Gerard Prunier, author of From Genocide to Continental War: The 'Congolese' Conflict and the Crisis of Contemporary Africa ‪'Unlike the legion of ivory-tower academics, armchair analysts, and self-promoting pundits who have expatiated about Al-Shabaab without even having set foot anywhere near Somalia, much less ever encountering an adherent of the group, Stig Jarle Hansen is a charter member of the small band of intrepid scholars who, even at the height of the insurgency, still pursued their research in the country, their work consistently informed by direct knowledge of actors and events. His is a comprehensive and accessible treatment of a significant subject. Highly recommended.' - J. Peter Pham, Director, Michael S. Ansari Africa Center, Atlantic Council, and Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of the Middle East and Africa‬ 'This disturbing but fascinating book not only documents the rise of one of the most dangerous of al-Qaeda's affiliates but also explains its central importance to Somali politics. Hansen is a skilful writer whose long experience of Somali life allows him to enter into the thinking of one of the world's most dangerous fundamentalist groups.' - Christopher Coker, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics, and author of Warrior Geeks: How 21st Century Technology is Changing the Way We Fight and Think About War 'So far, no book-length treatment of Al-Shabaab exists in the academic literature, and due to the political and military importance of the group in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa, policymakers and development workers, as well as area specialists, are in urgent need of such a detailed account.' - - Markus Hoehne, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology 'Stig Jarle Hansen has written what is undoubtedly the best book on Al-Shabaab [ - ] Predictions of Al-Shabaab's collapse have occurred frequently since 2008 but, despite notable set-backs, it has survived [ - ] Hansen's book is an essential tool for those wishing to understand what the future might hold.' - Magnus Taylor, African Arguments

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Book SynopsisThe Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East has always attracted widely divergent attention. Scholars have regarded it both as the source of terrorism, and, more recently as the potential harbinger of democratization. The Muslim Brotherhood in Europe has attracted far less attention. But heavily influenced by its ambiguous reputation in the Middle East it has led to widespread speculation about its character. Its critics regard the European organizations as part of a suspicious, secretive, centrally led world-wide organization that enhances the alienation of Muslims in Europe. Its sympathizers, on the other hand, regard the Brotherhood as a moderate movement that has been Europeanized and promotes integration. This volume brings together experts on the European Muslim Brotherhood who address some of the main issues on which the debate has concentrated. After an introduction dealing with the European debate in the press, the first section shows that Brotherhood consists primarily of a network of informal ties, which have developed a host of localized practices and contradictory trends. The second part deals with the Brotherhood organizations in different European countries and traces their highly specific trajectories and relations with the local non-Muslim press and authorities. The third section concentrates on the ideological developments of the movement in the Middle East and Europe.Trade Review'This volume is a rich documentation and critical assessment of political movements related to the Muslim Brothers and their changing ideologies in various European nation states since the 1960s. It systematically addresses not only the often negative perceptions by journalists and politicians in Europe, but also the contradictions and ambiguities within the organisations. It is a highly qualified academic approach that helps to paint a much-needed differentiated picture.' * Bettina Graf, Zentrum Moderner Orient Berlin, co-editor of Global Mufti: The Phenomenon of Yusuf Al-Qaradawi *'This is a very timely collection of contributions on a much vilified movement by a fine group of first class scholars. They portray the Muslim Brotherhood and its complex intellectual and ideological heritage, trying to come to grips with the many contemporary and multiple challenges it faces. While critically assessing its enduring secrecy and monopolistic claims about its representativeness, this volume convincingly argues that the Muslim Brotherhood has dramatically changed over the decades. It is now a moderate movement, as diverse as the national environments in which its affiliated organisations operate. This volume confronts head-on the argument of pundits who argue that Islam cannot change.' * Rik Coolsaet, Ghent University, author of Jihadi Terrorism and the Radicalisation Challenge: European and American Experiences *'A penetrating assessment of the origins and inner workings of an influential and diverse Islamist movement operating in Europe. Where the Brotherhood is widely portrayed as a counter-Enlightenment Trojan Horse, this volume offers an impressively more nuanced understanding of its evolution, moving away from its totalising dogma and militancy towards political pragmatism as it engages with democracy, secularism, and Muslim minority status.' * Humayan Ansari, Professor of Islam and Culture, Royal Holloway, University of London, and author of The Infidel Within: Muslims in Britain Since 1800 *

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Book SynopsisIn late 2002, over 1500 audiotapes were discovered in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in a house once occupied by Osama bin Laden. The Audacious Ascetic is the first book to explore this extraordinary archive. It details how Islamic cultural, legal, theological and linguistic vocabularies shaped militants' understandings of al-Qa'ida, and, more controversially, challenges the notion that the group's original adversary was America and the 'far enemy'. Miller argues that Western security agencies' 'management' of Bin Laden's growing reputation went awry. When magnified through global media coverage, narratives of al-Qa'ida's coherence were exploited by Osama and his militant supporters for their own ends. Focusing on over a dozen previously unpublished speeches by Bin Laden as well as on discussions by top al-Qa'ida leaders and Arab- Afghans, Miller chronicles the Saudi radical's evolving relationship with a host of Muslim insurgencies that found his stripe of asceticism (zuhd) tactically useful, especially when circulated via audiotape.These recordings also reveal militants' disenchantment when Bin Laden, marginalised through the '90s, began pandering to Western television networks in his attempt to direct hetero- dox Islamist armed struggles against America. Such audio evidence exposes al-Qa'ida's lack of coordination before 9-11 and invites scrutiny of dominant narratives of Western law enforcement, intelligence and terrorism analysts.Trade ReviewThe story of how [Bin Laden] came to be the west's ultimate 'ascetic adversary' and how the US expanded its security footprint into the Islamic world, needs to be told. Miller has succeeded. * Prospect *Selectively transcribed and interpreted … [the tapes] allow us to eavesdrop on Bin Laden during the 1990s as he rallied his followers, first to upbraid Islamic renegades in Saudi Arabia, then to prepare an assault on infidel America. * The Guardian *[Miller] does well in contextualising the often heavy-going material with the more interesting details of bin Laden's life and has undeniably added to our understanding of the man. * The Times *This is a truly magnificent work. Flagg Miller's knowledge in Arabic is unrivalled, as is demonstrated brilliantly in every chapter of book. In fact, The Audacious Ascetic almost brings Bin Laden back from the dead. The reader will feel as though he or she is listening in real time to the audio tapes that may have shaped Bin Laden into the jihadi leader that we now know. In addition Miller analyses, from a new perspective, some of Bin Laden's early--and almost forgotten--speeches which gave a clear picture his aims and strategy. Highly recommended. -- Camille Tawil, author of 'Brothers in Arms: Al Qa'ida and the Arab Jihadists'Flagg Miller is a rare specialist on the Modern Middle East. I know of no other linguistic anthropologist of the Middle East who combines interests in Arabic poetics with Islamic political discourse and relates both to media and mobilisation in the Arab/Muslim world, and especially to Yemen. 'The Audacious Ascetic' is his most extraordinary book to date, exceptional in the range and depth of its analysis of Osama bin Laden as a modern day ascetic. It should be an outrageous success in framing a figure who remains as murky as he is legendary in the saga of Islamic terrorism. -- Bruce Lawrence, Nancy and Jeffrey Marcus Humanities Professor of Religion, Duke University, and author of 'Who is Allah?'A painstakingly researched examination of a 'never-before-studied' collection of 1,500 audiotapes detailing Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida's theoretical and organizational development. … [T]he cache provides an enormously nuanced portrait of the thinking behind [al-Qaida's] operations. … Moving chronologically in the recordings, Miller gives a multilayered sense of how al-Qaida actually developed. Dense, scholarly, and bizarrely compelling. * Kirkus Reviews *Original, detailed and important. The Audacious Ascetic captures the complex fifteen year discourse between Bin Laden and his audiences about global jihad. Flagg Miller has mined an impressive array of Osama Bin Laden's 1980s and 1990s speeches and conversations, demonstrating the durability of the ideology appropriated in building Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden's single-minded focus on jihad against the United States. It is an essential text for those wishing to understand Al-Qaeda's historic essence and its continuing global relevance. -- Thomas F. Lynch III, Distinguished Research FellowThe Audacious Ascetic's contextualisation of difficult and, for most of us, recondite, narratives against the backdrop of Saudi and Yemeni radical discourse makes this volume outstanding. Flagg Miller offers vital clues on how to understand the appeals of movements such as al-Qaeda. It is a challenge to know one’s enemy but Miller accomplishes this task with careful editing and commentary that is both insightful and easy to follow. -- Dale F. Eickelman, Ralph and Richard Lazarus Professor of Anthropology and Human Relations, Dartmouth College and co-author of Muslim Politics

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Book SynopsisBoko Haram's appetite for exemplary violence and kidnapping women and girls has thrust it to the top of the global news agenda. In a few furious years its cadres have all but severed parts of northern Nigeria -- Africa's most populous state and largest economy -- from the hands of the government in Abuja. Videos broadcast by Boko Haram feature its leader, a grimacing rantingdemagogue who taunts viewers, claiming he will 'eat the heart of the infidel' and calling on Nigerians to reject their corrupt democracy and return to a 'pure' form of Islam. Thousands have been slaughtered in their campaign of purification which has evolved through a bloody civil war. In Northern Nigeria - which has witnessed many caliphates in the past - radical ideas flourish and strange sects are common. Boko Haram has drawn on and exploited these traditions to mobilise people against the corruption of Nigeria's politicians and oligarchs who have preyed on a state buoyed by oil revenues and turned public institutions into spoons for the pot. When the going was good it didn't matter. Now a new ravenous force threatens them all.Andrew Walker guides the reader through Boko Haram's hinterland - examining northern Nigeria's history, culture and politics - in search of where the group comes from and where Nigeria might be going.Trade Review'Walker's book is anecdotal, well researched and engaging. He has a novelist's eye for story and situation. But the most important thing is that he knows Nigeria well, having lived there for about a decade ... there is no denying the author's mastery of his subject and the usefulness of this overview to anyone interested in Nigerian history and the role of religion in Nigerian politics.' -- The Guardian'A fascinating and disturbing read. Eat the Heart of the Infidel is vital for anyone interested in understanding the origins of Boko Haram.' -- Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker staff writer, and author of 'Guerrillas: Journeys in the Insurgent World''a major addition to existing literature on Boko Haram ... The book is a reader's delight. The journalistic background of the author gives life to the book and enthrals in many ways. It provides a dispassionate analysis of Nigeria's history, particularly of the north, and the prevailing structural and societal imbalances that gave rise to Boko Haram ... dutifully analysed and beautifully written.' -- LSE Review of Books'Boko Haram have often appeared as nothing more than a Nigerian offshoot of Al Qaeda. Andrew Walker's wide-ranging, solidly-researched and grippingly-told story shows a more complex and troubling picture of a group whose historical precedents go back centuries, and whose recent rise owes as much to local social injustice, political instability and local rivalries as to religious fanaticism. The conflict as Walker presents it is over nothing less than Nigeria's identity.' -- Anthony Sattin, author of 'The Gates of Africa';'Global responses to modern day terrorism have been marked by a crisis of imagination and an inability to look back in search of the solutions that would enable us to move forward. Andrew Walker's book provides us with a rare insight into the historical and cultural factors that drive insurgencies, a veritable road map into this complex world.' -- Dr Fatima Akilu, expert on countering violent extremism and Director, Neem Institute'In a sea of shabby work on Boko Haram, from the excessively sensational to the simplistic, Andrew Walker's stands out by going many extra miles, reaching the heart of several matters either unexplored or inadequately dealt with by most previous commentators. Whatever one makes of the connections he teases out between contemporary events and historical figures in northern Nigeria, one thing is evident: Eat the Heart of the Infidel is well-researched, deeply contemplated, and beautifully written.' -- Elnathan John, Nigerian novelist, satirist and writer

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Book SynopsisAnalysis of both official and opposition Saudi divine politics is often monolithic, conjuring images of conservatism, radicalism, misogyny and resistance to democracy. Madawi Al-Rasheed challenges this stereotype as she examines a long tradition of engaging with modernism that gathered momentum with the Arab uprisings and incurred the wrath of both the regime and its Wahhabi supporters. With this nascent modernism, constructions of new divine politics, anchored in a rigorous reinterpretation of foundational Islamic texts and civil society activism are emerging in a context where authoritarian rule prefers its advocates to remain muted. The author challenges scholarly wisdom on Islamism in general and blurs the boundaries between secular and religious politics.Trade Review'In this latest publication, the increasingly prolific Madawi al-Rasheed demonstrates again why she is one of the foremost authorities on developments in Saudi Arabia. Muted Modernists not only challenges one-dimensional portrayals of Islamists, it also shows an ability to look behind the scenes of superficial media coverage and identify issues that often go unnoticed, but which are affecting the social fabric of what remains one of the most poorly understood countries in the Muslim world. Forceful in her conclusions, her findings evince a subtle understanding of the complexity of Saudi society. She offers valuable insights that should not be ignored by anyone with a genuine interest in one of the major players in Middle Eastern politics.' * Carool Kersten, Senior Lecturer in the Study of Islam & the Muslim World, King's College London, and author of Islam in Indonesia: The Contest for Society, Values and Ideas *'Madawi Al-Rasheed demonstrates here, as she has in her past works, that the intellectual and political scene in Saudi Arabia is much more diverse and argumentative than the conventional view would have it. Despite an authoritarian government that clamps down on even the hint of critical political speech, a religious establishment that rejects modernist reinterpretations of Islam and a general public that has not yet mobilised in large numbers for political change, there is an active intellectual debate among Saudis about what their religion means for their politics. Al-Rasheed captures a part of that debate that most outsiders could easily miss. No one writing in English follows the Saudi political scene more closely and more critically than she does.' * F. Gregory Gause, III, Bush School of Government, Texas A&M University *'Islamism is a piebald, elusive form of religious politics in the modern Middle East. Saudi Arabia is a key player, yet until now no one has shown how notable Saudi scholars, many of them marginal to traditional networks but with access to social media, are reshaping Islamism within the Kingdom. Written by the foremost scholar of dissident political movements in Saudi Arabia, this book is a must read for policy mavens and students of international affairs as well as Middle East specialists from all disciplines' - * Bruce Lawrence, Professor of Islamic Studies Emeritus, Duke University, and author of Who is Allah? *'Western (and Saudi) categories of 'radical' and 'moderate' fail to capture the intensely fluid politics in Saudi Arabia of Islamist modernists who publicly challenge the religious roots of authoritarianism and advocate the emergence of genuine civil society. At great personal risk, especially after 2011, Saudi youth and intellectuals have sought, often via Twitter and other new media, to shape the debates over the direction that Saudi society should take. Muted Modernists is a must-read for understanding Saudi Arabia today and for asking better questions about turmoil in neighbouring states.' * Dale F. Eickelman, co-author of Muslim Politics *'A highly critical and informative inside-out study of Saudi society, Muted Modernists gives voice to Saudi youth and public intellectuals who struggle, against great odds, to shape the debates about the future direction of their country. Al-Rasheed expands the intellectual lens through which to view Saudi Arabia, and shatters the notion of Saudi uniformity and exceptionalism. A must read.' * Fawaz A. Gerges, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics *

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Book SynopsisThe military victories of ISIS have overturned the geopolitical map of the Middle East. Media attention has focused on ISIS' savage treatment of its enemies and its ability to attract foreign fighters. However, in order to explain its success, a dispassionate account of its innovations in insurgency, ideology and governance is needed. The first effort to build an 'Islamic state' in Iraq was defeated by US and Iraqi forces in 2011. That the second attempt, dating from 2014, has been more successful calls for explanation. Hashim argues that by focusing their ideology first and foremost on extreme anti-Shia sectarianism -- rather than on Western 'infidels' -- ISIS' founders were able to present themselves as the saviours of what they saw as the embattled Sunni 'nation' in Iraq. This enabled them to win the support of Sunni communities. Moreover, ISIS' stunning ability to take major cities is a result of its innovative tactics. It sows terror in advance of its attacks by using targeted assassinations to kill key city leaders, and its decentralised regional command structure facilitates an unusual degree of coordination between small assault units. Meanwhile, it is making a serious effort to engage in state-building and population control.Trade Review'Pulling together speeches, other documents, and first-hand journalistic accounts, Hashim describes in detail the genesis of the group in Iraq ... assembl[ing] interesting statistics on how they governed.' -- The New York Review of Books'This a powerful account of the unique circumstances that bred and nurtured ISIS. Using primary sources and deep personal experience, Ahmed S. Hashim has brilliantly explained the ideology, organisation, war-fighting, and state-building enterprises of ISIS. I believe his book will become the definitive source on the ISIS group’s creation, evolution, and the Iraqi experience and personalities that differentiate it from other jihadist groups.' -- Michael W. S. Ryan, Senior Fellow at The Jamestown Foundation, and author of 'Decoding Al-Qaeda’s Strategy: The Deep Battle against America''Ahmed Hashim continues to produce timely and profound insights on the landscapes of global terror. The Caliphate at War is essential reading on the genesis, structure and operations of ISIS, the most violent and destructive of all the contemporary jihadist movements.' -- Ali Allawi, author, 'The Occupation of Iraq' and Minister of Trade, Defence and Finance, Iraq, 2003-2006'Ahmed Hashim has written a detailed and coherent account of the origins of the Islamic State and the reasons for its rise and fall. This is an excellent book for anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of the divisions in Iraqi society and why they will continue to foster such movements, even following the demise of the Caliphate.' -- Richard Barrett CMG OBE, former Director of Global Counter Terrorism Operations for the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS)'Pulling together speeches, other documents, and firsthand journalistic accounts, Hashim describes in detail the genesis of IS in Iraq, including the rift between the upstart caliphate and al-Qaeda, the first global jihadist movement.' -- New York Review of Books

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Book SynopsisSayyid Qutb (1906–1966) was an influential Egyptian ideologue credited with establishing the theoretical basis for radical Islamism in the postcolonial Sunni Muslim world. Lacking a pure understanding of the leader’s life and work, the popular media has conflated Qutb’s moral purpose with the aims of bin Laden and al-Qaeda. He is often portrayed as a terrorist, Islamo-Fascist, and advocate of murder. This book rescues Qutb from misrepresentation, tracing the evolution of his thought within the context of his time. An expert on social protest and political resistance in the modern Middle East, as well as Egyptian nationalism, John Calvert recounts Qutb’s life from the small village in which he was raised to his execution at the behest of Abd al-Nasser’s regime. His study remains sensitive to the cultural, political, social, and economic circumstances that shaped Qutb’s thought—major developments that composed one of the most eventful periods in Egyptian history. These years witnessed the full flush of Britain’s tutelary regime, the advent of Egyptian nationalism, and the political hegemony of the Free Officers. Qutb rubbed shoulders with Taha Husayn, Naguib Mahfouz, and Abd al-Nasser himself, though his Islamism originally had little to do with religion. Only in response to his harrowing experience in prison did Qutb come to regard Islam and kufr (infidelity) as oppositional, antithetical, and therefore mutually exclusive. Calvert shows how Qutb repackaged and reformulated the Islamic heritage to pose a challenge to authority, including those who claimed (falsely, he believed) to be Muslim.Trade Review'This rich and carefully researched biography sets Qutb for the first time in his Egyptian context, rescuing him from caricature without whitewashing his radicalism. It is no small achievement.'—The Economist; 'In one of the first serious English-language biographices of Qutb, Calvert puts this often misunderstood figure into his historical context, situating Qutb within the turbulent intellectual and political flow of Egyptian and Arab history. . . . The Qutb which emerges from Calvert's even-handed history is far more complex and interesting than the caricature of him which dominates popular understanding. Anyone interested in the evolution of Islamism in the 20th century should read it.' —Atlantic Monthly; 'Given that Qutb is taught in a large (and increasing) number of campuses, and given that he has already been introduced to the general public in bestselling books such as Lawrence Wright's the Looming Tower, the very publication of a Qutb biography is likely to attract considerable interest. … The book not only constitutes what is likely to remain the definitive biography of Sayyid Qutb, it also offers crucial new insights on the post-1954 history of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, another gaping hole in the literature. We are dealing here with a rare book that is likely to become a classic in the field of political Islam. … An outstanding volume.' –– Thomas Hegghammer, Harvard University; 'John Calvert's biography of the man now regarded as the father of radical Islam reveals an ideology forged in the fires of post-colonial Egypt.'—The National (Abu Dhabi)

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Book SynopsisHanif Qadir is recognised as one of the world's leading specialists in positively transforming violent extremists. He has worked with hundreds of high-risk terrorist and violent extremist cases and has challenged many known figureheads who lead violently extreme groups both at home and abroad. In this essential book for all those who work with young people, Hanif outlines the push and pull factors and the early indicators of radicalisation, and offers decisive and unambiguous advice on how and when to intervene. The book includes anonymous case studies of a wide variety of people Hanif has personally worked with and lays down simple lessons on what success and failure looks like when tackling extremism.Trade Review"No one I know has done more on the ground with practical experience countering violent extremism than Hanif Qadir. His experience and expertise is something we can all learn from. For anyone interested in counter-extremism, his book is an absolute must read." Peter Neumann, Professor of Security Studies and Director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization, King's College LondonTable of ContentsPersonal Testimony and Experiences within the Al Qaeda network Underlying Issues Current Challenges The Reality of the Threat Early indicators including the general 22 Point Vulnerability Assessment Framework Interventions - When & Who is best suited Recruitment Strategies early and current Attitudes and Behaviour Push & Pull Factors Case studies: Learning Outcomes Referral Pathways What does success and Failure look like The correct Islamic Perspective on Extremism and Terrorism Concluding Remarks

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Book SynopsisIn this open-access monograph, Paul Weller explores how the movement known as Hizmet (meaning “service”) is undergoing a period of transitions in Europe. Inspired by the teaching and practice of the Turkish Islamic scholar, Fethullah Gülen, Hizmet has been active in Europe (and other continents) for several decades. It has always been subject to some degree of contestation, which has intensified following the July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, for which the current Turkish government holds Fethullah Gülen and Hizmet as responsible – a claim they strongly deny. In Turkey, thousands of people associated with Hizmet have been imprisoned. In Europe, pressures have been brought to bear on the movement and its activities. In charting a way forward, Hizmet finds itself in a significant transitional period, the nature and possible future trajectories of which are explored in this volume. The book is informed by a comprehensive literature review and a recent research project which includes primary research interviews with key Hizmet figures in Europe and beyond. It contends that to properly understand Hizmet in Europe, one has to situate it in its interactive engagement both with its diverse European national contexts and with Fethullah Gülen’s teaching and practice. Table of Contents1 Introduction 1.1 The Focus of the Book 1.2 A Religious Studies Approach and the “Politics of Naming” 1.3 Situating in the Author’s Previous Research and the WiderLiterature 1.4 Evidence, Aims and Methods References Part I Hizmet in Turkish Origins and European Development2 Turkish Origins and Development 2.1 Hizmet: The Emergence of a Phenomenon2.2 Turkey’s Need for More Schools, Not More Mosques 2.3 Turkey’s Deep Fissures, Need for Dialogue and HizmetResponses 2.4 Relief of Poverty 2.5 Business Links 2.6 The Media 2.7 Spread to “Turkic” Republics of the Former USSR and tothe Western Balkans References Contentsxviii Contents3 Hizmet in European Hijrah 3.1 Hizmet at European Level and Across Europe3.2 Hizmet in the Netherlands 3.3 Hizmet in Germany 3.4 Hizmet in Belgium 3.5 Hizmet in the United Kingdom (UK) 3.6 Hizmet in Switzerland 3.7 Hizmet in France 3.8 Hizmet in Spain 3.9 Hizmet in Italy 3.10 Hizmet in Denmark 3.11 Hizmet in Some Other European Countries References Part II Hizmet in Turkish De-centring and EuropeanTransitions 4 Pivotal Issues in Pivotal Times 4.1 The AKP and Hizmet: Walking in Tandem? 4.2 Mutual “Infiltration”? 4.3 The MV Mavi Marmara Incident: A Sign of Thingsto Come 4.4 From Gezi Park to 15 July 2016 4.5 Hizmet Trauma in Turkey and Europe 4.6 Three-Layered Hizmet: Challenges and Opportunities References 5 New Foci for Old Questions 5.1 Changing Contexts 5.2 Seen as Terrorists and Challenging Terrorism 5.3 Turkishness and Beyond 5.4 Charisma, Structures and Transparency 5.5 Relating to Civil Society, Politics and the State 5.6 Relating to Other Muslims 5.7 Gender in Transition References Contents xix6 Continuing Values, Different Expressions and FutureTrajectories 6.1 Contextual Transitions 6.2 Education to Tackle Ignorance 6.3 Dialogue to Tackle Conflict and Promote InclusiveIntegration 6.4 Helping to Relieve Poverty Developing into SupportingHuman Rights 6.5 Meeting Needs and Keeping the Balance6.6 Hizmet in Europe With and/or Without Fethullah Gülen 6.7 Confident Engagement, Islamic Self-Criticism andHuman Focus 6.8 From Copy-Paste into Contextual ReinventionReferences

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Book SynopsisDeals with the scenario in Pakistan, its conversion to a state ruled by Islamist extremists, has been critically acclaimed by the media in Pakistan.Trade Review"The book states that while the Pakistani establishment under President Pervez Musharraf has been making overt noises about clamping down on the terrorists outfits, they had implemented only half hearted measures against them. The book dwells upon the decision makers in the white house."

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Book SynopsisBeginning with an examination of medieval Islamic fundamentalist movements such as Kharjism, Ibadism, Hanbalism, and Wahhabism, Sayed Khatab looks at the similarities and differences between them and present organizations such as al-Qa'ida. It may be surprising that many of the radical narratives embraced by modern groups have not emerged recently. Identifying these roots can lead to a better understanding of al-Qa'ida's theological and intellectual narratives, and how they effectively indoctrinate youths and attract many of them to violent acts of terrorism. The book then focuses on al-Qa'ida's theology, ideology, and tactics; the geographic contours and implications of al-Qa'ida's political strategy in relation to the western and eastern countries which are considered enemy states; the impending clash of cultures; and the ideological war within al-Qa'ida. Innovative in its concept, examining political Islamic thought from a historical to a contemporary perspective, Islamic Fundamentalism generates new understanding of the many complexities of political Islam, and the role of violence and terrorism.

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Book SynopsisDuring the 15th general election (GE15) in 2022 and the state elections in 2023, the clash between Anwar Ibrahim and PAS reached new heights. This can be viewed as a battle between political Islam and post-Islamism.Political Islam as embodied by PAS pursues the establishment of an Islamic state, while post-Islamism as represented by Anwar Ibrahim is a way of balancing the ambitions of Islam with secular approaches. While PAS has been consistent in espousing political Islam since its establishment, Anwar Ibrahim's approach to the role of Islam in politics has changed since his early days in UMNO. Evolving from an Islamist involved in state-led Islamization to a post-Islamist, he now espouses democratic values and multiculturalism.GE15 and the 2023 state elections witnessed fierce competition between PAS and Anwar Ibrahim. Both sides either escalated or downplayed crucial topics such as the implementation of hudud law and RUU355, the myth of Islam and Malays being under threat, the claim that states under PAS are discriminated against, and the takfiri denouncements of non-Muslims as election candidates or potential leaders of the country.The results of GE15 and the 2023 state elections between PAS and Anwar Ibrahim, who is now prime minister, show that there will certainly be sequels to come. The elections illustrate that political Islam is growing in strength. This is most evident in the fact that PAS currently has a whopping forty-three seats in the Malaysian parliament, and controls four states. The only way Anwar Ibrahim can remain in power is through assistance from PAS' old nemesis, UMNO, a party heavily tainted by corruption.

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