Description
Book SynopsisThis book offers a new interpretation of the rich narratives of Arab secularism, contending that secularism as a set of ideas and a social movement is destined to loom large on the political and legal horizon of most Arab states.
Youssef M. Choueiri provides a study of three moments in the development of secularism in the Arab World, the Machiavellian, the Alfierian and the Gramscian. It is within such a scope that secularism in its interaction with state-building projects, women's emancipation and religion is treated as an intellectual current and a discursive entity embedded in the political process of its diverse societies. Through the chapters, Choueiri demonstrates how secularism occupies a pivotal presence in the religious and political life of the Arab world, exploring such interrelated configurations as indigenous contributions, diverse reforms and the impact of Western states. He concludes that secularism has become a moral prerequisite and a required vehicle in creat
Table of Contents
Introduction Part 1: Theoretical and Historical Narrativities 1. The Arab Itinerary of Machiavelli, Alfieri and Gramsci 2. Cultural and Political Lineages of Arab Secularism Part 2: the Machiavellian Moment 3. Points of Departure 4. Arab Women’s Agency 5. Political Activism and Secular Deism Part 3: The Alfierian Moment 6. Science and Progress 7. Religious Injunctions and Secular Laws Part 4: The Gramscian Moment 8. Reinventing Secularism 9. Civil Society Conclusion
