Islam and Democracy in the Middle East provides a comprehensive assessment of the origins and staying power of Middle East autocracies, as well as a sober account of the struggles of state reformers and opposition forces to promote civil liberties, competitive elections, and a pluralistic vision of Islam. Drawing on the insights of some twenty-five leading Western and Middle Eastern scholars, the book highlights the dualistic and often contradictory nature of political liberalization. As the case studies of Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Yemen suggest, political liberalization -- as managed by the state -- not only opens new spaces for debate and criticism, but is also used as a deliberate tactic to avoid genuine democratization. In several chapters on Iran, the authors analyze the benefits and costs of limited reform. There, the electoral successes of President Mohammad Khatami and his reformist allies inspired a new generation but have not as yet undermined the clerical establishment's power. By contrast, in Turkey a party with Islamist roots is moving a discredited system beyond decades of conflict and paralysis, following a stunning election victory in 2002. Turkey's experience highlights the critical role of political Islam as a force for change. While acknowledging the enduring attraction of radical Islam throughout the Arab world, the concluding chapters carefully assess the recent efforts of Muslim civil society activists and intellectuals to promote a liberal Islamic alternative. Their struggles to affirm the compatibility of Islam and pluralistic democracy face daunting challenges, not least of which is the persistent efforts of many Arab rulers to limit the influence of all advocates of democracy, secular or religious.
Contents: PART I: Democratization in the Arab World Mohamed Talbi, A Record of Failure Emmanuel Sivan, Illusions of Change Laith Kubba, The Awakening of Civil Society Daniel Brumberg, The Trap of Liberalized Autocracy Jason Brownlee, The Decline of Pluralism in Mubarak's Egypt William Quandt, Algeria's Uneasy Peace Abdeslam Maghraoui, Depoliticization in Morocco Jean-Francois Seznec, Stirrings in Saudi Arabia Michael Herb, Emirs and Parliaments in the Gulf Jillian Schwedler, Yemen's Aborted Opening Russell Lucas, Deliberalization in JordanPART II: Iran and Turkey Shaul Bakhash, Iran's Remarkable Election Haleh Esfandiari, Is Iran Democratizing? Observations on Election Day Ladan Boroumand, Is Iran Democratizing? Reform at an Impasse Daniel Brumberg, Is Iran Democratizing? A Comparativist's Perspective Ramin Jahanbegloo, The Deadlock in Iran: Pressures from Below Mehrangiz Kar, The Deadlock in Iran: Constitutional Constraints Soli Ozel, Turkey at the Polls: A Historic Opportunity Ziya Onis & Fuat Keyman, Turkey at the Polls: A New Path EmergesPART III: Islam and Democracy Abdou Filali-Ansary, Muslims and Democracy Bernard Lewis, A Historical Overview Robin Wright, Two Visions of Reformation Abdou Filali-Ansary, The Challenge of Secularization Abdou Filali-Ansary, The Sources of Enlightened Muslim Thought Abdelwahab El-Affendi, The Elusive Reformation Radwan Masmoudi, The Silenced Majority Laith Kubba, Faith and Modernity Daniel Brumberg, Islamists and the Politics of Consensus Vickie Langohr, An Exit from Arab Autocracy Ladan & Roya Boroumand, Terror, Islam and Democracy
""A comprehensive assessment of the origins and staying power of Middle East autocracies, as well as a sober account of the struggles of state reformers and opposition forces to promote civil liberties, competitive elections, and a pluralistic vision of Islam.""
