A critique of modern Islamic political thought on the 'state', this book takes the form of a three-part dialogue with the West, with Islamic tradition and with 20th-century Muslim thinkers. The author discusses the divide between Islamic values and the basic principles which guide Western political thought. He traces the development of Muslim constitutional practice and considers the current debate on the nature of and desirability for an 'Islamic state'. He separates the problems that are internally derived from the by-products of Western culture. Dr El-Affendi argues that if Islamic values were brought to bear internationally, the entrenched dogmas of Western political thought as much as both the tradition-bound and modernist trends of Muslim thinking would have to be revised. A must-read for those interested in the theory of the Islamic State. This second edition contains a foreword by Professor Ziauddin Sardar, a new introduction by the author, and two new sections as appendices.

This book brings together experienced scholars from the region and beyond to cast new light on the challenges facing democratic transitions and democratic stability. Rather than taking refuge in 'context' and 'regional specificity' to excuse failures to unpack Arab politics, the book argues that sound political science should - and could - prove relevant across regions and cultures. This radical critique reclaims and recasts the 'Transition Paradigm', countering the habit of using advanced and successful democratic transitions as a template to be followed in other regions. It argues that the Arab (and broader Middle Eastern) experience has important lessons to offer, even in its failures. For example, it could help to explain the West's recent populist upsurge and other democratic reversals.

This book offers a novel and productive explanation of why 'ordinary' people can be moved to engage in destructive mass violence (or terrorism and the abuse of rights), often in large numbers and in unexpected ways. Its argument is that narratives of insecurity (powerful horror stories people tell and believe about their world and others) can easily make extreme acts appear acceptable, even necessary and heroic. As in action or horror movies, the script dictates how the 'hero' acts. The book provides theoretical justifications for this analysis, building on earlier studies but going beyond them in what amount to a breakthrough in mapping the context of mass violence. It backs its argument with a large number of case studies covering four continents, written by prominent scholars from the relevant countries or with deep knowledge of them. A substantial introduction by the UN's Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide demonstrates the policy relevance of this path-breaking work.

This book brings together experienced scholars from the region and beyond to cast new light on the challenges facing democratic transitions and democratic stability. Rather than taking refuge in 'context' and 'regional specificity' to excuse failures to unpack Arab politics, the book argues that sound political science should - and could - prove relevant across regions and cultures. This radical critique reclaims and recasts the 'Transition Paradigm', countering the habit of using advanced and successful democratic transitions as a template to be followed in other regions. It argues that the Arab (and broader Middle Eastern) experience has important lessons to offer, even in its failures. For example, it could help to explain the West's recent populist upsurge and other democratic reversals.

This book offers a novel and productive explanation of why 'ordinary' people can be moved to engage in destructive mass violence (or terrorism and the abuse of rights), often in large numbers and in unexpected ways. Its argument is that narratives of insecurity (powerful horror stories people tell and believe about their world and others) can easily make extreme acts appear acceptable, even necessary and heroic. As in action or horror movies, the script dictates how the 'hero' acts. The book provides theoretical justifications for this analysis, building on earlier studies but going beyond them in what amount to a breakthrough in mapping the context of mass violence. It backs its argument with a large number of case studies covering four continents, written by prominent scholars from the relevant countries or with deep knowledge of them. A substantial introduction by the UN's Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide demonstrates the policy relevance of this path-breaking work.