POLI 340 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Gamal Abdel Nasser, Wahhabism, Fatah
21 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Religion, society, and politics in the middle east. The prominence of religion in the me causes westerners to view religion as the dominant force in society and politics of the region: european academics, (cid:515)orientalists(cid:516), would emphasize the rationalism of the west"s. Enlightenment vs. the (cid:515)mysticism(cid:516) of the east: frequent comparison of western secularism to religiosity of the me. Argument: the influence of religion on the region is actually subtler and less determinate than is thought: most constitutions identify a state religion; opposing parties invoke religious themes for support. Religious community important aspect of personal identity (sometimes aligned. European imperialism, fall of the ottoman empire, emergence of independent nation-states in with ethnic, local and political identities) 20th c, creation of the state of israel, and sep 11, 2001 attacks: all have had an effect on the role and significance of religion.
