A virtual industry has sprung up in academic and policy circles over Samuel Huntington's 'clash of civilization' thesis. Most of the responses have been punishing critiques of its essentialist tendencies and arguments for more contingent and complex understandings of the role of culture and religion in international conflict and co-operation in the post-cold war era. Yet, curiously but perhaps not surprisingly, Huntington's ideas have had particular resilience when it comes to analyses of Islam. The volumes under review here provide us with some recent additions to this ongoing debate.Of the four books reviewed, one gives an interesting version of Huntington's thesis, two offer critical perspectives on the role of Islam and religion more generally in the modern world, and the last provides a historical chronicle of American foreign policy debates on political Islam from Jimmy Carter to Bill Clinton. Along the way they reveal interesting insights into how the debate has played out in practice. At the roots of these debates is the extent to which culture and religion are emerging as significant, if not destabalizing, variables in world politics.Political Islam and Global DisorderTibi's The Challenge of Fundamentalism offers a clear and analytically interesting version of Huntington's clash of civilizations thesis. A devout Muslim, Tibi is both an apologist for Islam as a religion and a 'hawk' when it comes to its fundamentalist manifestation. 'For me as a Muslim,' writes Tibi, 'Islam itself, being a tolerant religion, is not and can not be a threat ... But Islamic fundamentalism, or political Islam, is a horse of another colour: this brand of fundamentalism poses a grave challenge to world politics, security, and stability' (p ix).Tibi's starting point for understanding Islamic fundamentalism is the process of globalization, a term he takes great care to define. First and foremost, globalization is intrinsically linked to the spread of modernity around the world. This process has been facilitated by the emergence and promotion of a variety of uniform structures on a global basis that he calls 'institutional modernity.' This is most clearly seen in the political division of the world into secular nation-states, but it has been strengthened in recent years by an acceleration in the global spread of technology and the emergence -- not unrelated -- of a more integrated global economic system.However, the globalization process is incomplete because it has failed to spread the cultural aspects of modernity that will lead to the emergence of universal norms and values at the global level. Cultural modernity, for example, is something more than 'McDonaldization, the drinking of Coca-Cola, or the watching of soap operas on television' (p 25). Rather, it is underpinned by the emergence of individuals who have broken free of their ascriptive civilizational roots and are capable of determining their individual destiny and social and natural environment (p 24). Preventing the more holistic spread of modernity has been the strength of non-Western civilizations -- defined as world-views that unite a variety of different and local cultures. The normative foundations of these world-views are often at odds with those of the West. Suppressed during the bi-polar days of the cold war, they have re-emerged onto centre stage in the global arena. This has created a real potential for conflict, especially between the West, founded on the idea of a secular, democratic nation-state, and Islam, which Tibi sees as having more universalistic, theocratic, if not authoritarian, imperatives.To avoid a civilizational dash, Tibi calls for 'civilizational accommodation' on grounds of mutual equality, respect, and recognition (p 3). This process of accommodation has certainly been made more difficult by the hegemonic nature of Western civilization. Tibi's sympathies clearly lie with the modernity project emanating from the West. …

Shattering the Myth: Islam beyond Violence

Women in Islam: The Western Experience, by Anne Sophie Roald. London, UK and London and New York, 2001. xv +302 pages. Notes to p 314. List of scholars to p. 316. Gloss. to p 320. Bibl. to p. 332. Index to p. 339. $25.95 paper. This is a book about the views of a converted woman through Islam and its teachings. As an addition to the flourishing and extensive literature on women in Islam, this is a Western-focused volume that charters the journey of a Norwegian Muslim convert. The author contends that the debate about the position of women in Islam has been largely triggered by the cultural encounter between Islam and the West, which has engendered a defensive Islamic response as well as a positive rapprochement. The usual questions of polygamy, divorce, violence against women, women and government, and women and law are considered in what the author calls a "non-feminist" perspective. Surprisingly, the discussions include female circumcision, which is NOT an Islamic practice, but something that is too often raised by Western commentators when enumerating the failings of the faith. On the whole, the conclusions appear to be that, with the exception of the veil, which is non-negotiable, everything else is open to re-interpretation. As a discourse on the journey of a convert towards her faith, this volume is of interest. By providing an autobiographical journey, the book complements analytical works such as Myfanwy Franks' Women and Revivalism in the West,1 and others who have looked at why women may choose "fundamentalism" in liberal democratic Western countries. The interest of Sofie Roald's book is in its unusually discursive concentration on the process of research, which is described as being as important as its findings. Some 118 pages are given to definitions of terms and outlining the research process, but the analysis of "insider" "outsider" in the research process could have been conducted with greater reflexibility. Works by Leila Abu-Lughod, Soraya Altorki, and Camillia Fawzi El-Solh,2 provide illuminating discussions of what is an outsider and when and why outsiders would be considered as insiders; these works ought to be considered by researchers who embark on this discourse. With the exception of Roald's endorsement of the veil, the findings are non-controversial and follow similar points made Azza Karam,3 amongst many more. Roald's dismissive approach to Muslim women as interviewees and authors who might contest her views, however, is dismaying: these women are considered not "committed" sufficiently to warrant a discussion of their views and their work. Authors such as Leila Ahmed and Fatima Mernissi4 are dismissed for being feminists. Sofie Roald prides herself on doing non-- feminist research, defining the latter as work that includes male views as well as females (p. 62). It is surprising that, in a scholarly endeavour, Roald has not considered the extensive literature, including the work by Azza Karam and Myfanwy Franks, amongst many more who emphasize the diversity of feminisms and the necessity to recognize and valorize differing perspectives regardless of gender. …

Women in Islam: The Western Experience

Shattering the Myth: Islam beyond Violence, by Bruce Lawrence Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1997 xix + 185 Notes to p 218 Bibl to p 229 Index to p 237 $2495 Reviewed by Ahmad S Moussalli This book does, indeed, shatter the myth of Islamic violence through a complex process of deconstructing stereotypes and constructing pluralistic images of Muslim lives across different continents Bruce Lawrence's excellent analysis of Islam today brings together socioeconomic, historical, political, and religious elements, and sets these against the backdrop of global capitalism and high technology He does this through insightful studies of the local, national and international contexts of the rise of Islamic fundamentalism To understand this phenomenon, Lawrence looks not only at the theoretical and political discourses of Islamic fundamentalism, but also at the larger economic and political orders He argues, for instance, that Islam is a major complex system shaped as much by its own metaphysical postulates and ethical demands, as by the circumstances of Muslim polities in the modern world Lawrence shows that Muslims are not (as the stereotype portrays them) inherently violent, and that the future for Muslim societies is hopeful, rather than bleak He shatters the myth that Islam emanates from a hostile, "Arab" Middle East Arab Islam comprises only one part of the Muslim world, and is, itself, diverse Equally important, Lawrence shows why Muslim women's participation in their societies is glossed over, and cast in a stereotype which suggests that all male "Arab" Muslims (and Muslim men generally) hate the West and abuse women Against this background, Lawrence shows that women in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are made to represent the cultural norms Lawrence also shows that court cases involving women's legal rights in these countries reflect boundary markings between Muslims and other communities, heighten tensions about maintaining them and complicate notions of what it means to be both Asian and Muslim At another level, Lawrence gives due attention to one of the defining events of the Islamic world in modern times, Western imperialism, which tended to distort the economies of Muslim societies and to subordinate them to global (ie Western) economic interests Even the rise of the local bureaucratic elites in the name of independence replicated the nationalist ideological superstructure of the colonizers Counter-elites emphasized their "authenticity" in order to contest the power and legitimacy of the nation-state Lawrence shows that while Muslims have been subjected to structural violence, they have, remarkably, retained control over their destinies This is attributable to the diversity of the Muslim world, wherein (despite similar symbols and values that influence conduct) Muslim politics is reshaped by interacting with the post-colonial world, or non-Muslim "Others" Structural violence reduces the range of choice for European, as well as for African and Asian, members of Muslim society, and restricts the options for Muslims nation-states in the post-Cold War world Lawrence argues that this violence victimizes Muslim intellectuals by imposing limits on their discourses about Islam While Muslim politics may suggest uniformity of intent and practice, Lawrence shows through case studies of Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Tunisia as well as of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Malaysia that the sources of this uniformity is manipulation of symbolic resources and the permeability of boundaries Because authority in the Muslim world is fragmented, negotiations take the form of protest against the colonial and neo-colonial power, the don-tinant state apparatus, the religious establishment and the prevailing economic system …

With a view to consolidating the existing theory development and stimulating new conceptual thinking, this paper explores the implications of culture, religion (Islam), and the legal framework on women’s employment and their limited advancement in the hospitality industry, one of the important elements of the economy in Jordan. A related aim is to contrast the egalitarian Islamic approach to gender equality with gender discriminatory tribal traditions that restrict women’s employment and progression. Guided by religion, culture, and gender literature, this study uses a qualitative, content-based analysis. Drawing on open-ended questionnaires distributed to a diverse workforce across four tourist locations in Jordan, the results portray how tribalism and Bedouin customs embedded in the participants’ interpretation and practices of their religion (along with the existing legal framework) are maintaining gender gaps in employment and positions of power. The results also reveal that despite the Islamic guidelines towards fairness and justice (haqq and adl) in employment, the tribal and Bedouin traditions restrict women’s employment through patriarchal interpretations of Islam. Thus, the salient novelty and significance of this study were achieved through contributing to the theory development of the interrelations between religion, culture, and gender equality.

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Implications of Religion, Culture, and Legislation for Gender Equality at Work: Qualitative Insights from Jordan

Purpose




This study aims to examine the relationship of work–family demands with employees’ well-being, and the role of management/supervisory support in this relationship. The following hypotheses were proposed: work–family demands would be negatively related to employees’ well-being; management/supervisory support would moderate the relationship of work–family demands with employees’ well-being.




Design/methodology/approach




The researchers used 250 working female academicians as respondents, working in the research universities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Their ages ranged from 30 to 60 years.




Findings




The findings of the present study proved that the work–family demands were negatively associated with employees’ well-being. Results also revealed that management and supervisory support strengthens the relationship between work–family demands and employees’ well-being. Thus, management and supervisory support plays an important role in balancing work demands and family roles and also in increasing working female academicians’ well-being.




Originality/value




In this study, management and supervisory support was found to be directly related to well-being, including life satisfaction, job satisfaction and family satisfaction. However, the direct relationship between management/supervisory support and well-being was positive and significant. This study also found that management/supervisor support reduced work–family conflict and work–family demands. Also, supervisory and management support was found to have a significant and positive relationship with well-being. Given these findings, supervisory and management support plays a very important role as a moderator of work–family demands and in developing and improving well-being in working women.

Management and supervisory support as a moderator of work–family demands and women’s well-being: A case study of Muslim female academicians in Malaysia

Islam is a religion of vast dimensions which has inspired great civilizations and today offers many men and women comfort and ethical guidance. In this paper I suggest that the tension between the Qur'an accepted as the perfect timeless word of God and the encultured dynamic Islam of nearly a quarter of the world's population results in contending perspectives of women's role and rights. The Qur'an gives men and women spiritual parity, but there are verses in the Qur'an that some feminists find difficult to reconcile with the modern rights of women. Most Islamic feminists make a clear distinction between cultural practices (what actually happens to embodied women) and the pure word of God. 1 There are profound differences in the status of women within and between predominantly Muslim countries. In some countries it is illegal for women to drive a car, or to move freely outside the home, in others women have become heads of state. The decision to wear the veil, often a sign of empowerment in Europe, is in ...

Anna King

Papers

Islam, Women and Violence