GOVT733-002 Islam & Politics Fall 2017, Wednesday, 7:20-10:00pm, East 121 Dr. Peter Mandaville Professor of International Affairs Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University Nonresident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution e: pmandavi@gmu.edu t: (703) 993-1054 Twitter: @pmandaville Office Research Hall 331 Office hours: Mon 3-4pm or by appointment. This advanced graduate course explores the interface of Islam and politics from the perspective of comparative political science and broader social theory. Through a sequence of case studies focused on particular countries, movements/groups, themes, and issues it surveys the origins, evolution, and contemporary transformation of modern Islamism. The class will be structured around a series of key texts in the study of Muslim politics a combination of classic treatments of political Islam as well as more recently published books and articles that represent the cutting edge of contemporary research on Islam and politics. Class format & expectations Our class meetings will involve a combination of lecture, discussion, and close reading work. Some of our sessions will deal with largely theoretical material whereas at other points in the semester we will be focused on the empirics of specific countries, movements, events, and personalities. Students are expected to arrive at class with all required readings completed, critically analyzed, and prepped to discuss the week s material. While firmly based in social science approaches, the class also draws heavily on historical, sociological, and anthropological material and students will be expected to develop a strong interdisciplinary orientation. Communications & office hours The best way to reach me is always by e-mail, and this will also always be my default mode for contacting you. Please note that per university policy I will only send official class communications to your GMU e-mail account, so you are expected to check this very regularly. 1
I will generally be available to you in my office per the indicated office hours, and would appreciate an e-mail ahead of time letting me know if you are planning to come by. You are also very welcome to make an appointment with me for other days and times during the week, but these may have to be held on the Arlington campus or in downtown Washington DC. Attendance and absences As mentioned above, attendance at all class sessions is mandatory. If for some reason it is absolutely necessary for you to be absent (sickness, family emergency, etc.), or if you are experiencing difficulties that impact your class performance, please let me know as far ahead of time as possible. I will always try to work with you and, within reason, to be as accommodating as possible. In an absolute emergency where you do not have time to give notice, I would appreciate an e-mail at your earliest convenience after class. Assessment and graded work Your grade for the class will be determined by the following pieces of assessed work: Assignment Due % Paper 1: Metatheory & methodology Sep 13 15 Paper 2: Islam, politics and social science theory Oct 11 20 Paper 3: Comparative movement/country analysis Nov 8 20 Paper 4: Final research paper Dec 13 30 Book Review see below 15 Paper 1: Metatheory and methodology in the study of Islam & politics (1500 words) Write an essay answering one of the following questions: 1. What are the pros and cons associated with using political Islam and/or Islamism as social scientific concepts? 2. Critically assess the legacy of Edward Said s critique of Orientalism for the study of Islam and politics 3. What are the implications of the Enlightenment legacy of secularism for the analysis of contemporary political Islam? Paper 2: Islam, politics and social science theory (3000 words) Write a paper arguing for the superior explanatory value of one of the theoretical approaches to the study of Islam and politics we have covered in class. You may also elect to compare and contrast two or more theories, but should still ultimately make the case for one. Paper 3: Comparative movement/country analysis (3000 words) Write a paper that does one of: 1. Analyzes and explain the interface of Islam and politics in a country we have not covered in detail in class, identifying relevant comparative angles with other cases and theories we have explored; or 2. Compares the role of religion in politics in a Muslim-majority country to a country in which a different religious tradition is dominant. 2
Paper 4: Final research paper (5000 words) This capstone research paper may be written on a topic of your choice, to be decided in consultation with the course instructor. Book review (500-750 words) Over the course of the semester we will read several research monographs. Choose one and write a critical analysis in the form of a traditional academic book review. Book reviews will be due the week following our use of the relevant text in class. References and citation Unless otherwise specified, it is expected that your written work will make proper use of standard academic conventions as regards references and citations. For this class, I require you to use citation and referencing system prescribed by the American Political Science Association (which is based on the Chicago Manual of Style). This involves in-text parenthetical citations and an accompanying list of references at the end of your paper. Full details of this citation apparatus can be found on pp. 17-33 of the 2006 edition of the APSA Style Manual available at: http://www.apsanet.org/media/pdfs/publications/apsastylemanual2006.pdf All written assignments for this class must be uploaded to Blackboard as Microsoft Word attachments. Please make sure that your name and assignment title are both clearly indicated on the first page of your paper. It is your responsibility to ensure that your files have uploaded properly. Required and recommended texts The required texts for this class are as follows: 1. Peter Mandaville, Islam and Politics. New York & London: Routledge, 2 nd Ed., 2014. 2. Jenny White, Muslim Nationalism and the New Turks, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2014. 3. Khalil Al-Anani, Inside the Muslim Brotherhood: Religion, Identity, Politics, New York: Oxford University Press, 2016. 4. Fawaz Gerges, ISIS: A History, Princeton: Princeton University Press, Revised Edition, 2017. 5. Melani Cammett, Compassionate Communalism: Welfare & Sectarianism in Lebanon, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2014. 3
6. Avi Spiegel, Young Islam: The New Politics of Religion in Morocco and the Arab World, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017. 7. Shadi Hamid and Will McCants (eds.), Rethinking Political Islam, New York: Oxford University Press, 2017. We will also be making extensive use of online resources and journal articles, and all of the latter will be made available to you in PDF format via Blackboard (details to be provided in class). On the schedule of class topics and readings below, articles/sources accessible via Blackboard are marked with (*). They will generally have filename matching the author s last name (e.g. hirschkind.pdf). These files can also be accessed online at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cq33wssux0qwcxz/aaaapcsvw2m5w_k5mdfnxikja? dl=0 SCHEDULE OF CLASS TOPICS AND READINGS August 30 Course introduction & history/background September 6 Theory and methodology in the study of Islam & politics Note: we will be meeting in a combined session with MEIS500 for this class. 1. Charles Hirschkind, "What is Political Islam?" Middle East Report Oct-Dec 1997, pp. 12-14. (*) 2. Salwa Ismail, "The Study of Islamism Revisited" from Rethinking Islamist Politics, London: I.B. Tauris, 2006, pp. 1-26. (*) 3. Peter Mandaville, "Islam and Exceptionalism in American Political Discourse," PS: Political Science and Politics 46:2, April 2013. (*) 4. Shadi Hamid, Is Islam Exceptional? The Atlantic Online, June 6, 2016, https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/06/islam-politicsexceptional/485801/ 4. Frédéric Volpi, Introduction: We Have Facts and Data, Political Islam Observed, London: Hurst, 2010, pp. 1-20. (*) September 13 Islamism & social movement theory 1. Ziad Munson, Islamic Mobilization: Social Movement Theory and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, The Sociological Quarterly 42:4, 2001, pp. 487-510. (*) 4
2. Quintan Wiktorowicz, Islamic Activism and Social Movement Theory: A New Direction for Research, Mediterranean Politics 7:3, 2002, pp. 187-211. (*) 3. Asef Bayat, Islamism and Social Movement Theory, Third World Quarterly 26:6, 2005, pp. 891-908. (*) September 20 Authoritarianism, political participation & Islamist adaptation 1. Jillian Schwedler, Democratization, Inclusion and the Moderation of Islamist Parties, Development 50:1, 2007, pp. 56-61. (*) 2. Carrie Wickham, The Path to Moderation: Strategy and Learning in the Formation of Egypt s Wasat Party, Comparative Politics 26:2, 2004, pp. 205-228. (*) 3. Vali Nasr, The Rise of Muslim Democracy, Journal of Democracy 16:2, 2005. (*) September 27 Political economy approaches to the study of Islamic activism 1. Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Anatomy of Egypt s Militant Islamic Groups: Methodological Note and Preliminary Findings, International Journal of Middle East Studies 12:4, 1980, pp. 423-453. (*) 2. Michael M.J. Fischer, Islam and the Revolt of the Petit Bourgeoisie, Daedalus 111, 1982, pp. 101-125. (*) 3. Mark Tessler, The Origins of Popular Support for Islamist Movements: A Political Economy Analysis in John P. Entelis (ed.), Islam, Democracy, and the State in North Africa, Indianapolis: University of Indiana Press, 1997, pp. 93-126. (*) 4. Joel Beinin, Political Islam and the New Global Economy, unpublished paper, 2004. (*) October 4 The debate on post-islamism 1. Asef Bayat, What Is Post-Islamism? ISIM Review 16, Autumn 2005. (*) 2. Olivier Roy, Globalized Islam, New York: Columbia University Press, 2004. [excerpt] (*) 3. Peter Mandaville, Transnational Muslim solidarities and everyday life, Nations & Nationalism 17:1, 2011, pp. 7-24. (*) 5
October 11 Case study: the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood 1. Mona El-Ghobashy, The Metamorphosis of the Egyptian Muslim Brothers, International Journal of Middle East Studies 37:3, 2005. (*) 2. Khalil Al-Anani, Inside the Muslim Brotherhood: Religion, Identity, Politics, New York: Oxford University Press, 2016. 3. Tarek Masoud, Islamist Parties: Are They Democrats? Does It Matter? Journal of Democracy 19:3, 2008, pp. 19-24. (*) October 18 Case study: Turkey and the AKP 1. R. Quinn Mecham, From the Ashes of Virtue, a Promise of Light: The Transformation of Political Islam in Turkey, Third World Quarterly, Volume 25, No. 2, pp. 339-358. (*) 2. Jenny White, Muslim Nationalism and the New Turks. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012. October 25 Case study: the Iranian Revolution Reading 1. Theda Skocpol, Rentier State and Shi a Islam in the Iranian Revolution, Theory and Society, Vol. 11, 1982. (*) 2. Charles Kurzman, The Unthinkable Revolution in Iran. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004. [excerpt] (*) 3. Misagh Parsa, Ideology and Political Action in the Iranian Revolution, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Vol. 31, No. 1, 2011. (*) 4. Said Arjomand, The Reform Movement and the Debate on Modernity and Tradition in Contemporary Iran, International Journal of Middle East Studies 34:4, 2002. (*) November 1 Case Study: to be confirmed Guest lecturer: to be confirmed To be confirmed 6
November 8 Case study: Morocco Reading Avi Spiegel, Young Islam: The New Politics of Religion in Morocco and the Arab World, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017. November 15 Case study: Hizbullah Reading 1. Melani Cammett, Compassionate Communalism: Welfare & Sectarianism in Lebanon, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2014. November 22 NO CLASS: Thanksgiving recess November 27 Case study: Militant Islamism, ISIS & Al-Qaeda 1. Quintan Wiktorowicz, A genealogy of radical Islam, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 28:2, 2005, pp. 75-97. (*) 2. Asef Bayat, Radical Religion and the Habitus of the Disposessed: Does Islamic Militancy Have an Urban Ecology? International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 31:3, 2007, pp. 579-590. (*) 3. Fawaz Gerges, ISIS: A History, Princeton: Princeton University Press, Revised Edition, 2017. 4. Graeme Wood, What ISIS Really Wants, The Atlantic, March 2015, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/what-isis-really-wants/384980/ December 6 Islam & politics after the Arab Uprisings 1. Shadi Hamid and Will McCants (eds.), Rethinking Political Islam, New York: Oxford University Press, 2017. 2. Ewan Stein, Studying Islamism after the Arab Spring, Mediterranean Politics 19:1, 2014. (*) 3. Various authors, Rethinking Islamist Politics, Washington DC: Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS), 2014. (*) 7