Democracy And Civil Society in Arab Political Thought: Transcultural Possibilities - Rilegato

Browers, Michaelle L.

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0815630999 ISBN 13: 9780815630999

Casa editrice: Syracuse Univ Pr, 2006

Riassunto

Browers (political science, Wake Forest U.) analyzes the conceptual evolution of "democracy" and the more recent "civil society" in Arabic language discourse, attempting to combine various approaches of conceptual history: including the German genre of Begriffsgeschichte, which charts shifting usage of sociopolitical language; Anglo-American critical conceptual history, which interprets concepts within the framework of intellectual, political, and linguistic discourses; Michael Freeden's emphasis on ideologies; and others. A significant portion of his focus is on the act of translation and its implications for conceptual change. Overall, his argument counters claims of Arab democratic "exceptionalism" and finds a rich and contested discourse on "democracy" and "civil society" in Arab intellectual traditions, even if they haven't been transferred into democratic practice by Arab governments. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Su questo libro

Product Description:

This book provides a significant and unique contribution to the emerging literature of comparative political thought. Michaelle L. Browers offers compelling evidence, with extensive analysis and references, that a rigorous debateis taking place in Arabic concerning the value of democracy and civil society. Exploring the globalization of ideas of democracy and civil society, Browers addresses the question of what occurs when concepts cross the boundaries of cultures or languages. She analyzes the historical concept of democracy in Arab and Islamic political thought, the transformations that have occurred over the past several decades resulting from Arab forays into an international discussions of civil society, and what these transformations tell us about both the status of ideological and conceptual debates in the region. The book's value, however, lies in is its main premise: despite the dearth of actual and democratic practices in the Arab world, intellectual elites of the region have vigorously debated reform concepts for decades. Browers emphasizes that current conflicts involving the Middle East are less about Islam against the west and its secular allies in the region and more about diverse sectors of Arab society grappling with how to reform overreaching and unjust states. Browers shows that the seeds of democratic reform in the region were well planted prior to the war on Iraq and the Greater Middle East Initiative.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Syracuse Univ Pr
• Data di pubblicazione: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0815630999
• ISBN 13: 9780815630999
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 279