Political Islam

The unit provides an introduction to political Islam as a social and political force in the contemporary world. It examines conflicting definitions of political Islam; debates on its compatibility with democracy; its intellectual, social and historical roots; its relationship to violence and its implications for international relations and world order. These themes are explored via number of case studies illuminating the complexity of Islamic cultures, differences between various Islamic organizations, ideologies and traditions. The unit also looks at the response of various Islamic traditions to broader issues posed by the modern world such as colonialism, nationalism, secularism, feminism and globalisation.