Arabism, Islam and State-Based Nationalism

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how Pan Arabism and Islam have traditionally been more important than state-based nationalism. The paper traces the development of both Islamisation and Arabisation and explains why it is unlikely that state-based nationalism will supersede Islam as a more important influence in the Middle East, particularly in countries with a large Muslim community.

From the Paper:

"Islamisation and Arabisation developed together. But, not all states that undertook Islamisation were Arabised. Although they developed at the same time, the two did not originate together. Islamism's common tie is the shared religion of its followers and while Pan Arabism originated similarly, its common ties were different. Its common ties were language, culture and a shared history.
"Islamisation was the spread of the Islamic religion in the Middle East, the religion incorporates all aspects of society into its beliefs and therefore it can be independent from outside influences in law, politics and the role of the state.
"Arabism is the nationalist movement which sought to create a unified Middle East, it used history as a basis for its goals, but was relatively more unsuccessful than Islam."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Choueiri, Youssef, M., Arab Nationalism: A History: Nation and State in the Arab World, Blackwell Publishers, Malden, Massachusetts, 2000
• Fandy, Mamoun, Tribe versus. Islam: The Post-colonial Arab State and the Democratic Imperative, Middle East Policy Council Journal, Volume III, 1994, Number 48, http://www.mepc.org/public_asp/journal/9406_fandy.asp, Accessed: September 8 2004
• Hopwood, Derek, Arab Nation, Arab Nationalism, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Macmillan Press, 2000.
• Karsh, Efraim, The Middle East Forum, The Middle East Quarterly, SPRING 2001 - VOLUME VIII: NUMBER 2, Misunderstanding Arab Nationalism, www.meforum.org/.../36, Accessed: September 8 2004
• Miller, Judith, Middle East Quarterly, Fundamentalist Islam at Large: A Cresting Wave, JUNE 1996 - VOLUME III: NUMBER 2, www.meforum.org/.../36, Accessed: September 8 2004

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