The topic of particular interest to the group includes explorations of the reactions of liberal and secular actors to the ascendancy of Islamists, and how the interaction between the two camps is impacting the democratization process

Special Issue: Islamist Spring? Islamists and the State: New Paradigms and Engagements (American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, AJISS)

Guest Editors: Dr. Abdelwahab El-Affendi (University of Westminster), Dr. Anas El-Sheikh Ali (IIIT, London), and Dr. Nader Hashemi (University of Denver)

The demise of “Political Islam” has been foretold many times before, and a “post-Islamist” era has been said to have already arrived. The recent Arab Spring of “cluster revolutions” was also seen to present a more decisive arrival of a new alternative paradigm for both authoritarianism and Islamism. However, post-Arab Spring elections, from Rabat to Kuwait, have swept Islamist parties to power. In many other Muslim countries, from Malaysia and Indonesia to Turkey, Islamism is also a strong player on the political and social fields. This raises a number of important and urgent questions about the new rise of Islamism. Are these the same old Islamist parties, or have they changed? Are they destined to monopolize governance, or do they form an integral part of an emerging democratic ‒ even a post-Islamist political order? How do the ascendant Islamist parties and groups see the role of the state in their Islamizing projects? How do the competing and rival Islamist groups relate to each other and to the wider political spectrum? Which visions are more likely to dominate and flourish, and how stable will the emerging political order be? A special issue dedicated to the theme of “Islamists and the State” will allow for a timely reflection on the accomplishments and challenges of these times. The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences invites:

1. Research papers (from the various disciplines of the social sciences and humanities), which reflect on all aspects of the theme of Islamists and the state are welcomed.
2. Book reviews on relevant books are also welcomed.
3. Shorter reflection pieces of two thousand to three thousand words are also invited.

Possible Topics:

• theoretical papers examining the impact of the Arab Spring on the fortunes of Islamist movements and the ramifications for wider Muslim politics
• case studies, qualitative interviews, and comparative studies of Islamist groups across the spectrum or across borders
• critical and in-depth examinations of the shifts in Islamist views and practices on the state and democracy and their methods of engagement with various social groups
• critical studies of variations in Islamist attitudes toward women and minorities
• critical studies of the impact of particular scholars or leaders on the Islamist scene
• studies of the role of new actors and leaders (women, youth, professionals, etc.) within the emerging Islamist movements and what impact it may be having
• critical examinations of the views of Islamists on regional and international issues, including attitudes toward the West and Israel
• critical engagement with current scholarship on Islamism and on Western official attitudes to Islamic movements
• critical studies of the post-Arab Spring state, the regional order, and the impact on various political forces, including Islamists
• critical explorations of the impact the new democratic atmosphere is having on the tendencies, visions, and programs within Islamism, and whether it is favoring radical or moderate groups
• critical studies of the fortune of radical or violent Islamist groups in the post-Arab Spring era
• in-depth explorations of the evolution of Islamist political thought, including comparative perspectives across movements and regions
• critical assessment of intra-Islamist debate, in particular generational and ideological divisions on all matters political
• critical studies of the impact of existing “Islamist” experiments ‒ such as those in Iran and Sudan ‒ on the evolution of thinking, attitudes, and priorities of Islamist groups across the world
• in-depth explorations and forecasts of emerging trends and possible directions in the thinking and practice of Islamist groups and the significance and likely impact of these trends
• historical studies of underlying structural forces in contemporary political change, or previous efforts at democratization
• explorations of the reactions of liberal and secular actors to the ascendancy of Islamists, and how the interaction between the two camps is impacting the democratization process
• examination of the changing discourse of the West toward the various Islamic movements and vice-versa, before, during and after the “revolutions”

Regular research papers should be between seven thousand and ten thousand words (7,000‒10,000). All submissions should conform to AJISS guidelines: original, unpublished research, and presented as double-spaced and single-sided. Please send all contributions as an attachment in MS-Word, with a 250-word abstract and a short biography, simultaneously to:

a.el-affendi@westminster.ac.uk
anas@iiituk.com
nader.hashemi@du.edu

Submission Deadline: January 15, 2013
Publication Date: July 2013

For more on AJISS guidelines, please go to:
http://www.amss.org/AJISS/NotestoContributors.aspx. The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences (AJISS) is a double-blind, peer-reviewed, and interdisciplinary journal published by the Association of Muslim Social Scientists of North America and the International Institute of Islamic Thought. AJISS publishes a wide variety of peer-reviewed scholarly research on all facets of Islam and the Muslim world: politics, history, economic philosophy, metaphysics, psychology, religious law, and Islamic thought ‒ employing both empirical and theoretical analysis. AJISS aims to provide a forum for high-quality original research and critical dialogue and discussion, advancing both application of social sciences to the study of Islam and the Muslim world and an analysis of the social sciences. In addition, AJISS includes insightful reviews of published books of interest to our subscribers, as well as forum articles and conference reports.

Zakyi Ibrahim
Comparative Religion department
California State university, Fullerton
Phone; (657)278-8241
Email: zibrahim@fullerton.edu
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