Globalized Islam

1
Globalized Islam

• Christine Monnier
• College of DuPage
• April 23 2003

2
The Impact of Globalization

• Globalization as multidimensional complex
  connectivity
• Deterritorialization as the cultural condition of
  globalization

3
Deterritorialization

• The loss of natural relation of culture to
  geographical and social territories
• Tomlinson, J. (1999), Globalization and Culture,
  Chicago The University of Chicago Press, p.107.

4
Islam Deterritorialization

• Causes
• Banalization of political Islam
• Globalization
• Consequences
• Identity reconstruction for Muslims in the West
• Individualization of religiosity
• Humanist Islam?
• Westernization of Islam
• Neo-Fundamentalism
• A Virtual Ummah

5
Islamism political Islam

• Islamist movements see in Islam a political
  ideology no separation
• They promote
• The Islamization of society
• The establishment of a Muslim state
• Examples
• Iranian Revolution
• Algerian FIS
• Lebanese Hezbollah

6
Banalization of political Islam

• Islamo-nationalism
• Promotion of national interests
• Pragmatism
• Increased political openness
• Alliances with conservative parties
• Condemnation of radical terrorism
• Promotion of state interests before religious
  ideology secularization
• Consequence re-islamization outside of the
  political sphere

7
Muslims in the West

• Economic immigration
• Educational globalization networks
• Westernization of Islam
• Transfer of muslim populations in non-muslim
  countries minorities
• Deculturation Individualization
• Re-islamization

8
Individualization

• Islam becomes detached from national and cultural
  contexts
• It becomes based on personal faith and the
  freedom to join the ummah (community of faith)
• 2 possible trajectories
• Humanist/liberal
• Neo-fundamentalist
• Rejection of traditional Muslim authorities
• The individual as the target for preaching

9
Humanist Islam

• Emphasis on ethic and spirituality for personal
  fulfillment and dignity
• Internal values patience, resistance to
  temptation
• Personal realization a ones relationship to God
• How to be a good Muslim in the Western world?

10
Neo-Fundamentalism

• Rebuilding Islam against westernization
• Literal interpretation of the texts
• Indifference to social issues
• Dogmatism (dos and donts)
• Existence at the margins of the Muslim world
• Imaginary Ummah

11
The Virtual Ummah The Internet

• A Muslim public sphere?
• Virtual community
• Individualization (again)
• Deterritorialization (again)
• Globalized Islam

12
New Radicals and Jihad from the West

• Common characteristics
• They are transnational
• They studied modern educational curricula
• They are born again Muslims
• They broke with their families and their
  countries of origin
• In other words they are global actors