Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here

September 6, 2013 5:52 AM

Inspired by her father's struggle against fundamentalism in Algeria in the 1990s, Karima Bennoune interviewed hundreds of people of Muslim heritage from dozens of countries who also work for social reform. She hopes their stories will counterbalance oversimplified narratives about majority Muslim nations. Bennoune's website provides an excerpt from the book, and she is interviewed on Open Democracy (transcript).
posted by audi alteram partem (3 comments total)

I just wanted to point out Karima Bennoune's website has links to a bunch more articles, plus some additional excepts from the book. Thanks, audi, I'll be reading for a while.
posted by nangar at 7:45 AM on September 6, 2013

Yet identity politics covers over the fact that peoples of the Global South are as diverse as the rest of humanity, and are situated all across the political spectrum just like everyone else. (From the interview)

I think it is important to acknowledge how, under the guise of cultural relativism or anti-imperialism, the left has also made missteps. How else can we do better in the future?

This book looks fantastic, on my library hold list now. Thanks!
posted by Hopeful and Cynical at 8:26 AM on September 6, 2013

Bennoune defines how she uses the term fundamentalism in one of the articles nangar mentions, which is helpful given the various ways the term is used:

I use the definition of fundamentalism given by Algerian sociologist Marieme Hélie-Lucas: “political movements of the extreme right, which in a context of globalization … manipulate religion … in order to achieve their political aims.” There are many other Islams, as the stories in my book indicate. My work is about foregrounding those diversities, and thinking about what international human rights norms mean in light of them.

posted by audi alteram partem at 11:03 AM on September 6, 2013 [1 favorite]