Abstract
Islam has acquired a significant place in international politics since the terrorist attacks on the United States in September 2001. It is both demonised and engaged by those who acknowledge the role played by religion, particularly Islam, in partially determining the course of global and regional developments. For some, Muslims subscribe to an outdated form of allegiance to religious symbols and ideals of Islam with a propensity to engage in violence. Such analysts and practitioners of world politics emphasise the need to contain and curtail militancy linked to religious views by exploring and accepting the inherently violent and anti-democratic nature of Islam and Muslims. Others are reluctant to adopt a categorically negative view of Islam and opt for a more nuanced understanding of the diversity of views and practices among Muslims. Often acknowledging the role played by economic and political factors in creating militancy, they favour policies designed to engage ‘moderate’ Muslims in the agenda of bridge-building between Islam and the West. Interfaith dialogue has entered the lexicon of world politics: the analytical space traditionally reserved for secular understandings of global politics is gradually opening up to discourses centred round the salience of religion. At the same time, practitioners of world politics have focused on the need to build bridges across religious and civilisational divides.
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Notes
Later, Flemming Rose provided a detailed account for his decision to commission these cartoons in terms of a preference for cultural inclusivity of Muslims. See Flemming Rose (2006) ‘Why I Published the Muhammad Cartoons’, SPIEGEL ONLINE, available from http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,418930,00.html.
See, for example, Tariq Ali (2006) ‘This is the Real Outrage’, Khaleej Times, 15 February.
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© 2008 Samina Yasmeen
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Yasmeen, S. (2008). Interfaith Dialogue, Diplomacy, and the Cartoon Controversy. In: Cooper, A.F., Hocking, B., Maley, W. (eds) Global Governance and Diplomacy. Studies in Diplomacy and International Relations. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230227422_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230227422_14
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-30316-8
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-22742-2
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