Essay on Islam and Democracy Mutually Exclusive

The September 11th terrorist attacks unleashed unimaginable devastation upon the United States and subsequently upon the Arab-Islamic world. While the government of the United States scrambled jets and prepared soldiers for war, there was another battle, arguably more important than the war the United States was preparing to wage. This battle was waged not on battlefields but in classrooms, between scholars who struggled to define and rectify the democratic deficit in the Muslim world. Theories have been offered ranging from Islam and democracy being diametrically opposed, all the way to Islam considering democracy, or democratic principles, as essential. Lurking in the midst of these two extreme theories are the more moderate and†¦show more content†¦After WWI, Great Britain and France dissected the Ottoman Empire and arbitrarily authored new national boundaries. In 1953, the British and the United States, in a concerted effort, overthrew the democratically elected Moh ammad Mosaddeq because he sought to nationalize Iranian oil; a direct threat to American and British interests. In March of 2003 the United States contravened the wishes of the international community by invading the sovereign Arab state of Iraq. Thousands of American troops remain there as an occupying force. These actions by Western democratic powers marginalized the communities in which they intervened and engendered those same societies with a false view of democracy which remains prevalent today. Furthermore, the West in general and the United States in particular, has been accused of, and rightly so, holding the Arab-Islamic world to a double standard. Historically and contemporarily the United States has supported repressive regimes such as those in Saudi Arabia, Iran under the Shah, and Pakistan under Zia ul-Haq, when doing so was in its political and military interests. Support of these repressive regimes was tendered while simultaneously speaking of freedom and â€Å"supporting† the democratization of the Muslim world. As a result, it is likely that cited incompatibilities are not between Islam and democracy per se, but rather between Islam and attempts at compelled democratization byShow MoreRelatedWhy Is Islamic Democracy?913 Words   |  4 Pagesunderstand exactly what I mean when discussing Islamic democracy. Essentially, the only democracy that we in the west know is western democracy. This democracy is what the textbooks teach, and while it is perfectly functioning in our society, it may not be the same in nations which are not functioning in the same framework that we are so familiar with. That is to say, it cannot be expected for a Muslim nation to willingly and easily accept western democracy, and as is eloquently summed up in this statementRead MoreThe Dichotomy Between Commonwealth Literature And English Literature852 Words   |  4 Pagestruth. Stereotypes have been so pervasive, so insidious, as to define whole cultures (and to allude to that great skeptic, to define is also to limit). One such culture facing repercussions due to stereotypes is that of the Muslims. The notion that democracy cannot function within an Islamic country has been so often repeated and cited, and too little discredited, that even aboriginal Muslim populations express cynicism when asked about democratic polity. This skepticism has been fostered by religiousRead MoreIs Islam a Religion of Peace?1879 Words   |  7 PagesIslam is often spoken of , especially in the backdrop of the current prevalent terrorism of today’s world, as the religion of peace. In saying so, it is implied that Islam, as a religion, is opposed to warfare, extremism and terrorist activities. On the contrary, in the realm of political science, democracy is the system of government that is set up on a high pedestal. 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Democracies will not attackRead MoreA Third World Country Report of Iraq Essay3205 Words   |  13 PagesSociology 300 General Studies Department (Sociology) Strayer University Online August 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS Dependency and Modernization Theories†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 Religion and Politics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Democracy and Dictatorship†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 Ethnic- Cultural Divisions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...7 Women and Development†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 Global Issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 Revolutionary Change†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreFeminism in the Indian2997 Words   |  12 Pagesexploitation in society, at work and within the family, and conscious action by women and men to change this situation. (Bhasin and Khan 1986) Acknowledging sexism in daily life and attempting to challenge and eliminate it through deconstructing mutually exclusive notions of femininity and masculinity as biologically determined categories opens the way towards an equitable society for both men and women. The male and female dichotomy of polar opposites with the former oppressing the latter at all timesRead MoreThe Communist Manifesto Calling On The Workers Of The World2994 Words   |  12 Pagesby individuals and movements as a beneficial strategic tactic of dissent or as an ethical stance against the use of violence in general. Specifically, it will be investigating a claim that the two perspectives of ethics and strategy are not mutually exclusive, but in fact symbiotic. Before narrowing the scope of examination to strictly â€Å"nonviolent† within the broad context of resistance or social movements, the concept of resistance as an observable phenomenon must first be discussed and defined