Abstract
Although radical Islam suffered numerous political defeats in the 1990s,it is still socially and culturally vigorous throughout the Middle East. The retreat of the welfare state in many cash-strapped Arab countries has opened the way for Islamic social organisations to fill the void, creating a new outlet for those critical of secularist elites and frustrated by their lack of political voice. The alternative of liberal Islam, meanwhile, has failed to draw disciples beyond a small minority from the educated classes. The struggle that counts, therefore, is between Islamic radicalism and the authoritarian powers that be.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 25-44 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Survival |
Volume | 45 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2003 |