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Beyond Nation-States: The Future Directions of the Post-Colonial Discourse
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As late as the last quarter of the twentieth century, there were expectations that Islam’s political and cultural influence would dissipate as the advance of westernization brought modernization and secularization in its wake. Not only has Islam failed to follow the trajectory pursued by variants of Christianity, namely confinement to the private sphere and depoliticization, but it has also forcefully reasserted itself as mobilizations in its name challenge the global order in a series of geopolitical, cultural and philosophical struggles. The continuing (if not growing) relevance of Islam suggests that global history cannot simply be presented as a scaled-up version of that of the West. Quests for Muslim autonomy present themselves in several forms — local and global, extremist and moderate, conservative and revisionist — in the light of which the recycling of conventional narratives about Islam becomes increasingly problematic. Not only are these accounts inadequate for understanding Muslim experiences, but by relying on them many Western governments pursue policies that are counter-productive and ultimately hazardous for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
This CIK Talk based on Professor Sayyid's internationally acclaimed book will engage critically with the interaction between Islam and the political in the context of a post-colonial world that continues to resist profound decolonization and conduct a decolonial investigation into the way in which the appearance of a Muslim political identity impacts on the existing world order. Professor Sayyid will further focus on how demands for Muslim autonomy are debated in terms such as democracy, cultural relativism, secularism, and liberalism. He will analyze the displacements and evasions by which the decolonization of the Muslim world continues to be deflected and deferred, and will build on this critique and attempt to accelerate the decolonization of the Muslim Ummah.
This CIK Talk based on Professor Sayyid's internationally acclaimed book will engage critically with the interaction between Islam and the political in the context of a post-colonial world that continues to resist profound decolonization and conduct a decolonial investigation into the way in which the appearance of a Muslim political identity impacts on the existing world order. Professor Sayyid will further focus on how demands for Muslim autonomy are debated in terms such as democracy, cultural relativism, secularism, and liberalism. He will analyze the displacements and evasions by which the decolonization of the Muslim world continues to be deflected and deferred, and will build on this critique and attempt to accelerate the decolonization of the Muslim Ummah.
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CIK Talks is a platform for noted Muslim intellectuals and thought leaders to address critical issues facing the Ummah and ideas shaping the modern world.
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