"The Failure of Political Islam" acts as both a keystone and a
launchpad to understanding the political ferment in the Arab world
today. In the same way we learned that our perception of Communism
as a monolithic force was in error, Olivier Roy exposes the
political implications of diversity and weakness within
Islam.--Princeton Borough "Times [UK] "
A view of Islam as a religion of political extremism, containing
the seeds of its own politicization in a manner inherently
incompatible with much of the Western world, has gradually become
well entrenched in Western policy circles...In this erudite and
powerful book, Olivier Roy persuasively challenges such
ahistoricism. Roy...uses his wide-ranging and detailed knowledge of
the Muslim world to present a reading of contemporary Islamic
movements that provides an important corrective to such gross
simplifications. The argument is all the more pertinent at a time
when well-known American political scientists see global politics
reduced to a 'clash of civilizations.'...[This] is a forceful
work--an eloquent contribution to an important current debate by a
scholar with long experience in the world of political
Islam.--Leonardo A. Villalon "American Political Science Review
"
If you read only one book on political Islam, this should be it.
Olivier Roy...has turned his attention to the phenomenon of Islamic
radicalism with remarkable results. On practically every page one
finds an interpretation or observation that is provocative and
insightful.--William B. Quandt "Foreign Affairs "
Is theocracy really the future of the world's one billion Muslims?
Or should it be?...Never has the question been as brilliantly
argued as in Olivier Roy's "L'echec de l'Islam politique", now
available in a superb English translation as "The Failure of
Political Islam". His closely reasoned, original and unsentimental
conclusion is that political Islam has already failed--that
'Islamism' has already atrophied into a sterile, hypocritical--and
very Western--neofundamentalism..."The Failure of Political Islam"
addresses the history, sociology, economy and 'geostrategy' of
political Islam, with excellent case studies of Iran and
Afghanistan...[A] daring exploration...This book is a corrective of
stunning power.--Peter Theroux "Boston Book Review "
Olivier Roy's examination of 'political Islam' has already had an
important impact on the study of Islamism. His analysis is
carefully defined and clearly presented...Roy's conclusions
are...sophisticated and nuanced. He argues that a particular type
of Islamist program has failed and been replaced, not by a
non-Islamic mode of thought, but by a different Islamic
approach...This book is essential reading for all interested in the
late 20th century evolution of movements of religious activism and
revival...The issues that [Roy] raises--regarding the nature of
Islamist movements and their relationships with modern institutions
and concepts, must be dealt with.--John O. Voll "Middle East
Journal "
The Failure of Political Islam acts as both a keystone and a
launchpad to understanding the political ferment in the Arab world
today. In the same way we learned that our perception of Communism
as a monolithic force was in error, Olivier Roy exposes the
political implications of diversity and weakness within Islam.
'geostrategy' of political Islam, with excellent case studies of
Iran and Afghanistan...[A] daring exploration...This book is a
corrective of stunning power.
century evolution of movements of religious activism and
revival...The issues that [Roy] raises--regarding the nature of
Islamist movements and their relationships with modern institutions
and concepts, must be dealt with.
civilizations.'...[This] is a forceful work--an eloquent
contribution to an important current debate by a scholar with long
experience in the world of political Islam.
interpretation or observation that is provocative and
insightful.
that our perception of Communism as a monolithic force was in
error, Olivier Roy exposes the political implications of diversity
and weakness within Islam.
Roy perceptively argues that the attempt to create a universal
Islamist state is doomed to failure because of the conflicts
between Sunni and Shia forms and other ethnic differences in the
Islamic world. His is a keen, timely study; highly recommended.
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