Islam, Secularism, and Liberal Democracy

Islam's relationship to liberal-democratic politics has emerged as one of the most pressing and contentious issues in international affairs. In Islam, Secularism, and Liberal Democracy, Nader Hashemi challenges the widely held belief among social scientists that religious politics and liberal-democratic development are structurally incompatible. This book argues for a rethinking of democratic theory so that it incorporates the variable of religion in the development of liberal democracy. In the process, it proves that an indigenous theory of Muslim secularism is not only possible, but is a necessary requirement for the advancement of liberal democracy in Muslim societies.

Nader Hashemi is the Director of the Center for Middle East Studies and an Assistant Professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.

Introduction Chapter 1. Toward a Democratic Theory for Muslim Societies: The Historical Background Chapter 2. Dueling Scriptures: The Political Theology of John Locke and the Democratization of Muslim Societies Chapter 3. A Concise Anatomy of Secularism: Examining Its Linkages to Liberal Democracy Chapter 4. Secularism and Its Discontents in Muslim Societies: Indigenizing the Separation between Religion and State Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index