Youssef M. Choueiri's book offers a new interpretation of Arab secularism, arguing that it is destined to be a significant force in the political and legal landscape of most Arab states. It explores three moments in the development of secularism and its interaction with state-building projects, women's emancipation, and religion. Choueiri concludes that secularism is a moral prerequisite and a required vehicle for creating the necessary conditions for democracy in the Middle East.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 260 pages
Publication date: 16 November 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Book Title: Narratives of Arab Secularism

This book offers a new interpretation of the rich narratives of Arab secularism, contending that secularism as a set of ideas and a social movement is destined to loom large on the political and legal horizon of most Arab states. Youssef M. Choueiri provides a study of three moments in the development of secularism in the Arab World, the Machiavellian, the Alfierian and the Gramscian. It is within such a scope that secularism in its interaction with state-building projects, women's emancipation and religion is treated as an intellectual current and a discursive entity embedded in the political process of its diverse societies. Through the chapters, Choueiri demonstrates how secularism occupies a pivotal presence in the religious and political life of the Arab world, exploring such interrelated configurations as indigenous contributions, diverse reforms and the impact of Western states. He concludes that secularism has become a moral prerequisite and a required vehicle in creating the necessary conditions for the success of democracy in the Middle East.

Narratives of Arab Secularism tackles the complexity and contemporary ramifications of the subject in a way that no previous single study has been able to. It will be relevant to both students and academics dealing with topics related to the Middle East, including religion, politics, anthropology and history. Chapter 6 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Weight: 416g
Dimension: 155 x 233 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367745318