Beyond Foundationalism: Democracy & Political Islam

Description

The analysis attempts to a twofold line of inquiry. Firstly, it briefly seeks to navigate the vast terrain of political Islam, using a quasi deconstructionist approach. This is vital for a firmer grasp of a semantically and discursively complex field stamped by Orientalist constructions. However, in the post-9/11 moment, ‘East’ and ‘West’ seem more than ever before to view each other through prisms of hubris and mutual exclusion. The discourse on Islamists and democracy must be situated within this context. Secondly, the essay tries to assess hidden discourses of renewal from within the abode of Islam. Specifically, it examines Islamist thought and practice of democracy, with special reference to political parties in Arab Spring countries. This exercise aims to display examples of the new dynamism and diversity within political Islam in relation to democracy. The aim is to contextualize Islamism within existing discourses. Only thus can a firm grasp be obtained of the polemics and the shifts surrounding and happening within political Islam, especially post-9/11.