Islamic Movements

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Although they have been examined as non-state social movement actors, Islamic movements have been part and parcel of the discussion of developing political structures and the international relations of Muslim-majority societies for the better part of the past half-century. This course proposes to examine the phenomenon of Islamic social movements that emerged in the twentieth century. It does so by examining the historical circumstances that gave rise to their emergence, the ideological underpinnings of these movements, and their organizational capacity and ability to mobilize supporters as movements of opposition. Additionally, the course will introduce students to an analytical framework used to study these movements in the form of social movement theory. The extent to which this theoretical approach is effective in the study of Islamic movements in particular will be a central question throughout the course. The course structure is thematic in nature. It begins with a theoretical overview of the study of social movements, with special attention paid to attempts at examining Islamic movements through this theoretical approach. This is followed by a brief study of the intellectual and ideological underpinnings of modern Islamic movements, beginning with the reformist movement of the late nineteenth century. The remainder of the course will be devoted to case studies, beginning with the “classic” Islamic movements of the mid-twentieth century such as the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt and Jamaat-i Islami of Pakistan. A second wave of movements, those of localized nationalist resistance, will be examined through the cases of Palestine and Lebanon. The emergence of transnational movements in the late twentieth century, embodied most prominently by al-Qaeda, is another phenomenon that is worth examining. Additional case studies examine the role of Islamic movements within state structures in Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Afghanistan, among others. Finally, consideration is also given to the role of Islamic movements in post-Arab uprising states. By the end of the course, students should be able to provide a nuanced and contextualized analysis of Islamic movements and the role they play in various social settings.