Islamism: what is new, what is not? Lessons from West Africa

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Periodical article

Title:	Islamism: what is new, what is not? Lessons from West Africa
Author:	Kane, Ousmane
Year:	2008
Periodical:	African Journal of International Affairs (ISSN 0850-7902)
Volume:	11
Issue:	2
Pages:	157-187
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:	West Africa Africa
Subjects:	Islamic movements Islamic history religion Islamic fundamentalism Islam and international relations Islam and politics Islam and social problems
Abstract:	In the aftermath of the Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979, a marked scholarly interest in Islam driven by policy concerns developed in Western countries. Hitherto the monopoly of a few Orientalists, Islamic studies soon became a multidisciplinary field, attracting experts across the spectrum of the social sciences and the humanities, and indeed beyond academia. Many studies were carried out on Islamism. This article, which focuses on West Africa, questions some of the widely held assumptions about Islamism. The author's main argument is that Islamism is not a new phenomenon. A second point he makes is that 'Islamist' movements are not primarily Salafi. A third point is that 'Islamists' are not inherently violent. What is new, according to the author, is the perception of Islamism as a threat in the West. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract]