In Quest of Democracy: The Islamist Reformist Perspective of Rached Ghannouchi
Publication information
OKM publication type
A1
Category
Artikkelit ja abstraktit
Sub category
Tieteelliset aikakauslehtiartikkelit
Type
Alkuperäisartikkeli
Refereed
Kyllä
Publication channel information
Title of journal/series
International journal of contemporary sociology
Publication forum ID
58353
Publication forum level
1
Country of publication
United States
Internationality
Yes
Detailed publication information
Publication year
2017
Reporting year
2017
Journal/series volume number
54
Journal/series issue number
2
Page numbers
141-167
Language of publication
English
Co-publication information
International co-publication
No
Co-publication with a company
No
Classification and additional information
MinEdu field of science classification
5141 Sociology, 517 Political science, 520 Other social sciences
Additional information
Democracy in Arab world is one thorny question that Arab intellectuals from different trends of thought have debated in contemporary Arab-Islamic thought. Among these, Islamic reformist thinkers take Islam as a reference frame in any social, political, ethical or economic matters that concern Muslims. The subject of democracy has re-emerged in the political debate with the break of a wave of uprisings in the Arab world for freedom and democracy against autocratic authoritarian regimes since the end of 2010. Some of these revolts are radically violent such as those in Syria, Libya, Egypt and Yemen and others more peaceful as in the case of Tunisia. The slogan of ¿down to the regime¿ these revolts hailed has triggered questions concerning democracy, freedom, authoritarianism in Arab countries. This paper addresses the perspective of the Islamist reformist thinker and leader of the main Islamic movement in Tunisia Rachid Ghannouchi on the question of democracy in undemocratic country, his conception of democracy in Islam, and the experience of his political movement of al-Nahda, one major player in the democratic transition in Tunisia, his native country. In his scholarly endeavor, his goal has been to develop an Islamic theory of governance grounded on democracy, which can potentially resolve the predicaments of undemocratic rulership in Arab countries.