Evolution of the Islamist ideology

Shayovitz, Ronen 2010. Evolution of the Islamist ideology. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.

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Abstract

Islamist terrorism has, in academic and lay discourse, been misunderstood in the register of 'extremism,' 'radicalism' and 'fundamentalism.' The concepts of 'terrorism' and 'ideology' have frequently been misused as pejoratives to prevent understanding of Islamist terrorism. This does not mean that they are beyond repair and we attempt to re-establish the terms as useful critical concepts for understanding the Islamist movement. This study takes the Islamist ideology seriously it is comprehensive, complex and internally coherent. We claim that Islamist movements and the terrorism they engage in can be usefully understood by examining the historical evolution of the ideology. In particular we examine the dynamic interplay between the theory and practice of Islamist movements. Using the tools of social and political philosophy the study critically examines the historical and intellectual evolution of the Islamist ideology and movement from the inception of the Society of Muslim Brothers in 1920s Egypt, the radical philosophy of Sayyid Qutb in the 1950s and 60s through to al-Qaeda and the 9/11 attacks.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	English, Communication and Philosophy
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc D History General and Old World > D History (General) H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) J Political Science > JC Political theory
ISBN:	9781303222474
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	12 Feb 2016 23:13
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/55089

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