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Global Political Islam

By Peter Mandaville

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About the Book

This book offers an accessible and comprehensive account of political Islam in the twenty-first century.

Drawing on insights from comparative politics, sociology, international relations and Islamic studies, it explains the complex interaction between political Islam, nationalism, state and society, and globalization. An ideal teaching text, Global Political Islam also provides the necessary historical background and conceptual tools for understanding contemporary Muslim politics. The book contains detailed up-to-date case studies of political Islam in a variety of key settings such as Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Palestine. It also explains the evolution of Islamic radicalism through a detailed account of Al Qaeda and the global jihad movement. Transnational Islamic networking receives considerable attention, as does the role of new media and information technologies in political Islam. Fully illustrated throughout, featuring maps, supplementary textbox case studies, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading, this is the ideal introduction to the crucial rule of political Islam in the contemporary world.

Reviews

'Global Political Islam, is a well-informed account of the origins of mainstream Islamism, the strategies of Islamisation, the emergence of the radical fringe, the competition for authority among Muslim elites and the impact of globalisation on Muslim politics. This is a study which sets out to transcend the 'narrow moment' of al-Qaeda.'
The Economist

'Global Political Islam is the best panoramic view of Muslim politics today. With lucidity and insight, Peter Mandaville effortlessly explains the complexity of Islamism without becoming bogged down in jargon or narrowly defending one line of interpretation. He displays an equally impressive command of specific movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaida and critical issues such as globalisation, the crisis over the state, and competition over religious authority. It is difficult to imagine a more reliable or informed treatment of a shifting and ever widening Islamic landscape.' - James Piscatori, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, UK

'Peter Mandaville has produced a wonderful analysis of what political Islam represents and who speaks for it. Nuanced, erudite and encyclopedic, Global Political Islam provides a fresh perspective on how Islamic ideas, parties and actors shape Muslim society and politics from Southeast Asia to the British Midlands. This book will impress specialists and general readers alike.' - Vali Nasr, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy,Tufts University, USA and author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam will Shape the Future.

'Peter Mandaville has patiently - and often brilliantly - exposed the limits of literalism and extremism as categories for analyzing Muslim extremists, i.e., those who seek to combine religious knowledge and political authority in the name of Allah. The battle for the hearts and minds of Muslims is ably etched in this masterful study; it should be consulted by all who hope and work for a better future in the Middle East and beyond.' - Bruce Lawrence, Duke University, USA

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Thinking about Islam and Politics in Global Perspective 2. Islam and Politics: History and Key Concepts 3. State Formation and the Making of Islamism 4. Islam in the System: The Evolution of Islamism as Political Strategy 5. Islam as the System: Islamic States and "Islamization" from Above 6. Islam for Lack of a System: Islamism in Weak and Failed States 7. Radical Islamism and Jihad Beyond the Nation-State 8. Muslim Transnationalism: Brotherhoods, Networks Diasporas 9. Who Speaks for Islam? Religious Authority in the Global Umma 10. Beyond Islamism: Globalization and Muslim Politics. Appendix: Key Economic and Political Indicators for Muslim Countries

About the Author(s)

Peter Mandaville is Associate Professor of Government and Politics at George Mason University, USA. He is the author of Transnational Muslim Politics: Re-imagining the umma and has also co-edited several volumes of essays. Research interests include the impact of globalization in the Muslim world, theories of cosmopolitanism, and global development.