[lit-ideas] Re: Traditionalist Islam
- From: "Simon Ward" <sedward@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 01:18:54 -0000
That's certainly the article. I thought it was a worthwhile reference because
it seems to present middle ground between the two polarised positions that we
take.
Fukuyama presents a model of fundamentalist islam that arises not exclusively
from a cultural/religious background but also from feelings of alienation from
the west. For me, this is of prime importance because, as I see it, the most
important variable to be considered is the manner and the reasons for movement
from traditional islam to fundamentlist islam. (I wonder whether the process is
in anyway similar to conversions to fundamentlist christianity). It is this
dynamic more than any other that needs to be understood if the west is to
influence the growth of the fundamentlists.
As I see it, waging war as the sole weapon in a fight with fundamentlism can
only serve to increase the enemy numbers because it is exactly what the
fundamentlists will preach to those they hope to attract. Similarly, making no
effort to fix the problems in the middle east, such as Isreal/Palestine, and
showing a disregard for the opinions of the world's majority, only serves to
prove the fundamentlists right.
For those unware of what is said elsewhere, Lawrence has discussed the
importance of marginalising the fundamentalists within islam. Whether this is
what Lawrence believes should happen, or whether it is him reporting on the
scholarship of others is beside the point, it's an impoirtant consideration.
Conversely, to present a model of fundamentalism that is restricted to the
cultural/religious 'pull' of tight readings of the Koran - in other words to
assume that whatever the west does has no influence of the traditionalist to
fundamentalist dynamic - serves to excuse the actions of west. It says that the
west bears no responsibility for its actions because those actions have no
effect on the creation of fundamentalists.
Fukuyama says the terrorists created in the first world (historically the more
active) are essentially a political phenomenon. He also says that Europe's
version of multiculturalism has to shoulder some of the blame for what it has
helped to create. The one statement marries with what I've been saying, the
other with Lawrence. As such I think the article a good basis for discussion.
Simon
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence Helm
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 12:55 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Traditionalist Islam
I still couldn't get it, and I tried Omar's site as well. I always got sent
back to the same Prospect-Magazine site; so I did a Google Search on the
articles written by Fukuyama for Prospect Magazine and then chose the latest
which is entitled "Identity and Migration." It is from Issue 131, dated
February 2007. I assume this is the one you are referring to. It is
interesting. It builds somewhat on his End of Civilization and America at the
Crossroads. And he continues to invoke Olivier Roy's Globalized Islam, the
search for a New Ummah. But he may be keying to some extent off of Samuel
Huntington's book Who are we -- The Challenges to America's National Identity;
which I haven't read.
I don't know what in this article (if this is the article) especially
interested you. If it is the idea that the terrorist were influenced more by
alienation in Europe than Qutbist ideology, I discussed that at some length
after reading America at the Crossroads and Globalized Islam. It is an
interesting theses. We can't know for sure whether the radicals, the activists
engaged in overt acts of war, are small in number and isolated in circumstances
or are merely the latest recruits from 300 million Fundamentalist Muslims --
and that number, some think, is growing? If we look at the dearth of
terrorist activities in the US since 9/11, we could almost believe Roy's
thesis, but as Fukuyama implies in the article, a rise of terrorism in Europe
seems inevitable. He writes, "Whatever its exact causes, Europe's failure to
better integrate its Muslims is a ticking time bomb that has already
contributed to terrorism. It is bound to provoke a sharper backlash from
populist groups, and may even threaten European democracy itself.
Lawrence
At 02:49 PM 2/25/2007, you wrote:
"When I click on your reference I get Issue # 132 and don't see anything in
it by Fukuyama"
Try:
http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/list.php?category=138&issue=549
The issue had changed.
Please have a read and comment if you care to. We can continue the
discussion after.
Simon
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence Helm
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 10:33 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Traditionalist Islam
When I click on your reference I get Issue # 132 and don't see anything
in it by Fukuyama.
Other related posts:
