Dr Sara Silvestri

1
What is radical about Islam?
Citizenship and Immigration Canada Ottawa 28
April 2009

• A seminar by Dr Sara Silvestri
• Cambridge University and City University London

2
My areas of work

• RESEARCH
• Interdisciplinary (across Internat.Politics and
  Sociology)
• mainly qualitative collaboration on
  quantitative projects
• ONGOING PROJECTS and INTERESTS
• - Muslim political mobilisation and institutions
  in Europe- European public policies towards
  religion and Muslim communities- Suspect
  Communities (counter-terrorism effects on Irish
  Muslims in UK)
• - Radicalisation secular and religious
• - Migration, integration and social cohesion,
  gender
• TEACHING
• Political Islam Muslims in EuropeReligion in
  Global Politics, EU, International Relations
• POLICY-RELEVANT WORK
• consultant/advisor on Muslims in Europe,
  intercultural dialogue, counter-terrorism
  (EuroMed, EU, UN Alliance of Civilisations, UK
  gov, think thanks)

3
Religion what it is

• Spiritual search
• Answer to the mystery of death life,
• Source of ethical values
• Externalised through practices and rituals which
  reinforce belonging
• A way to organise society
• An element of culture or shaped by culture?
• Theologians have distinguished between FAITH
  (belief, spirituality) and RELIGION (as set of
  practices, anthropocentric)

4
Religion what it does

• Connects transcendent (supra-natural dimension of
  immortality and perfection) with immanent
  (mortal, earthly and imperfect dimension of
  humans)
• Proposes a unique universal truth that provides a
  comprehensive belief system, a view of world
  order that also suggest how to organise human
  relations
• Calls for personal engagement
• gtgt RADICAL FEATURES

5
The political dimension of religions
(esp.monotheistic)

• Refer to a holy scripture that is unchanging and
  that indicates values inform family structures
  and norms for social organisation
• In their effort to connect transcendent and
  immanent they impinge on real life
• In time religions have enabled political leaders
  or social groups embracing a particular religion
  to create boundaries and to strengthen their
  authority

6
Radicalisation (official def.)

• European Commission (2005) Violent
  radicalisation is the phenomenon of people
  embracing opinions, views and ideas which could
  lead to acts of terrorism
• UK Gov. (2009) process by which people come to
  support violent extremism and, in some cases,
  join terrorist groups. Contest II addresses long
  term causes, before radicalisation becomes
  violent entails monitoring adherence to
  ideologies
• Dutch Gov. (2004) Radicalism is an (increasing)
  readiness to pursue and/or support ones own
  political or social beliefs, which may imply far
  -reaching changes in society and a threat to the
  democratic legal system and/or may involve the
  application of undemocratic means to that end.
  (2005 doc.) 3 types of radicalism Islamist,
  right wing, animalists

7
Radicalisation (cont.)

• Research shows that
• It is a process
• No one pattern (personal psychology, ideology,
  domestic or international causes, socio-economic
  conditions)
• Entails opposition, resistance, dissent

8
Key terms in Islamic theology and history used by
Islamists

• Acceptance of Mohammads message calling for
  total submission to God written in Quran by
  following principles and examples of religious
  life provided by Quran Hadith (Sunna) and by
  adhering to the 5 pillars
• Tawhid (unity and unique sovereignty of God)
• Ummah (global, transnational community, sense of
  universality)
• Tradition QuranHadith (sources of inspiration
  and authority) Salaf (ancestors)
• Societal reform based on sense of divine justice
• Recreation of the Caliphate (perfect harmonious
  polity)
• Sharia (set of legal principles enshrined in holy
  scriptures, provides framework, point of
  reference)

9
Islamists Characteristics

• Narrative revival of mythical past, alternative
  polity, resistance, identification with
  oppression of Muslims throughout the world,
  assimilation of third-worldist causes
• Strategy opposition, dissent, collaboration,
  undermine the establishment, adaptation
• Location mosques, educational centres, private
  associations/ civil society
• Membership middle classes students (often
  socialised in West) masses

10
Islamist groups (some with extreme-violent
offshoots)

• Salafist family (revivalism)
• Muslim Brothers Jamaat-i-Islami (reform,
  renewal)
• Takfiri (reject politics)
• Tablighi (pietists, reject politics,
  traditionalists)
• Salafi-Jihadi (hybrid recent development)
• Hitz-ut-Tahrir (yes political engagement no
  democracy)
• Fetullah Gulen - conservative
• Islamic Jihad, Al Qaeda co.

11
The radical messages of Islam Islamism

• POLITICAL Questions secular authority and power
  relations. Absolute sovereignty of God
• PHILOSOPHICAL Calls for societal transformation
  gt potential for dissidence, subversion,
  revolution (already since Ibn Taymiyyaa, 14th
  cent.)
• PHYSICAL HISTORICAL Violence nexus in
  Mohammads life (but needs be contextualised and
  historicised) and in path undertaken by Islamist
  groups once mainstream political engagement closed

12
Frame of understanding Orientations and
objectives

• RESISTANCE Towards country of origin reform,
  against corruption
• RESISTANCE Towards country of settlement
  Islamisation, Dawah, advocacy of minority rights,
  awareness of Islam
• Commitment to global transnational project

13
Project on Secular and Religious forms of
Radicalisation (ESF sponsored with colleagues at
ISIM and London Metropolitan Univ.)

• Extreme right left movements in Europe since
  60s
• Interconnection between the secular, the
  political and the religious dimensions
• The role of political culture and lifestyle
• The historical context (national, local,
  international, grievances understandings of
  identity)
• Global transformations of youth culture and of
  established forms of authority in both Western
  and non-Western societies

14
Religions (Islams) contribution to
Radicalisation?

• Assumption that theology and religious leaders
  endorse violence not always valid
• Political Theology (world order, authority)
• Narrative, history (events, stepping stones,
  figures)
• Symbols and rituals
• Socialisation (family, friends, community)
• Fluidity and osmosis religious shopping, in and
  out of networks
• gtgt Religion as a vehicle, provider of powerful
  narrative and symbols