T<scp>he</scp> D<scp>ilemma of the</scp> I<scp>slamists</scp>: H<scp>uman</scp> R<scp>ights</scp>, D<scp>emocratization and the</scp> W<scp>ar on</scp> T<scp>error</scp>

Storm, Lise

doi:10.1111/j.1475-4967.2009.00383.x

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 6 publications

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“…What is less likely to have been anticipated either by the West or by the authoritarian leaders of the region is that there are signs that other segments of society, which would not normally have supported the anti-systemic Islamist movements, are becoming radicalized and are beginning to exit the political system in favour of this genuine, illegal opposition. 27 Whereas in the past these dissatisfied voters would simply have switched from one political party to another at election time, displaying some form of faith in political parties as an institution as well as in the process of elections, they are now beginning to abandon these loyalties in favour of more radical measures. These voters have, in other words, lost faith in democracy.…”

Section: Exiting the Political Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

The persistence of authoritarianism as a source of radicalization in North Africa

Storm

2009

International Affairs

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September 11 and subsequent terrorist attacks across the globe have led to an increased emphasis on security issues among political leaders globally. While this preoccupation with security has not led to the abandonment of democracy promotion efforts, there is no doubt that initiatives that have the demise of authoritarianism as their core objective, have become less of a priority in recent years, with spending on projects seemingly unrelated to security issues and the ‘war on terror’ declining, and pressure on heads of state to embark on democratization processes weakening. This article contends that the relieving of pressure on heads of state to introduce democratic reforms is detrimental to the desired goal of increased security, given that the radicalization of Islamists is closely related to the prevalence of authoritarianism. In short, it is argued that there is reason to believe that the West's tendency to allow violations of basic democratic principles, and failing to employ genuine pressure for regime change in the various MENA states, which are actively partaking in the ‘war on terror’ on the side of the US, is counterproductive in the longer run. While it is impossible to predict when terrorism committed by radicalized Islamists will end, and it is almost certain that terrorist attacks will recur in the future and that we have to learn to live with the risks, it is possible however to do something about the scale and frequency of such incidents. This article argues that through positive democracy promotion resulting in real democratization, it is indeed possible to obtain increased security.

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Section: Exiting the Political Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

The persistence of authoritarianism as a source of radicalization in North Africa

Storm

2009

International Affairs

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Political Islam in Morocco: From Islamic Ethics to Political Power

Macías-Amoretti

2017

Political Islam in a Time of Revolt

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Seeking an ‘other’ desperately: the dialectical opposition of political Islam in Morocco

Macías-Amoretti

2014

The Journal of North African Studies

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This article uses the 'opposition' parameter to analyse the political discourse and practice of the main Islamist political actors in Morocco: the 'officialist' political Islam represented by the Harakat al-Tawhid wa-l-Islah (Unicity and Reform Movement, MUR) through its political alter ego, the Hizb al-'Adala wa-l-Tanmiyya (Justice and Development Party, PJD) in which it is included, tries to reach the power in order to reform the political system in moral terms from the inside, by establishing a dialectical opposition based on Islamic concepts against the rest of the primary elites (opposition-instrumentalisation). The outsider Jama'at al-'Adl wa-l-Ihsan (Community of Justice and Spirituality, CJS) keeps a firm opposition role against the Moroccan regime, denying both moral and political legitimacy to the 'Alawi monarchy and trying to change the social and political system from outside of the party system (resistancedémarcation). This study offers some perspectives on the place of the dialectics of opposition in political discourse and their respective position regarding power. It also offers insight into the ideological challenges political Islam should face in the short term.

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The Dilemma of the Islamists: Human Rights, Democratization and the War on Terror

Cited by 4 publications

References 6 publications

The persistence of authoritarianism as a source of radicalization in North Africa

The persistence of authoritarianism as a source of radicalization in North Africa

Political Islam in Morocco: From Islamic Ethics to Political Power

Seeking an ‘other’ desperately: the dialectical opposition of political Islam in Morocco

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