Suddenly, the events of September 11, 2001, brought the issue of freedoms in the Arab world to the forefront. Can these Muslim countries be just "democracies without democrats"? Could the frustration of their oppressed citizens be the cause of this level of "Islamist violence"? The West sees that reforming their authoritarian regimes is a necessary step to create a barrier against rampant terrorism. Therefore, it tries to persuade Arab governments—even by force if necessary—to organize legislative elections, improve women's status, and protect minorities... In short, it tries to convince them to embrace democracy. It is a difficult journey, as even in the twenty-first century, the concept of authority in Islam is still a matter of debate, due to the intertwining of religion and politics. This book precisely aims to shed light on the place of politics in the "Land of Islam" from various perspectives—history, anthropology, sociology, and political science. It paints a vivid picture of the situation in Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey.

Publishing house: Dar Al-Farabi for Publishing and Distribution

Number of Pages : 416

Year of publication : 2009