Muted Modernists: The Struggle Over Divine Politics in Saudi Arabia (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780190496029)

Analysis of both official and opposition Saudi divine politics is often monolithic, conjuring images of conservatism, radicalism, misogyny and resistance to democracy. Madawi Al-Rasheed challenges this stereotype as she examines a long tradition of engaging with modernism that gathered momentum with the Arab uprisings and incurred the wrath of both the regime and its Wahhabi supporters. With this nascent modernism, constructions of new divine politics, anchored in a rigorous reinterpretation of foundational Islamic texts and civil society activism are emerging in a context where authoritarian rule prefers its advocates to remain muted. The author challenges scholarly wisdom on Islamism in general and blurs the boundaries between secular and religious politics.

Author: Madawi Al-Rasheed
ISBN-10: 0190496029
ISBN-13: 9780190496029
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Language: English
Published: 03/01/2016
Pages: 224
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.80w x 0.70d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 09/01/2016