ELECTING ISLAMISM
Islamist politics and the prospects for Arab democracy
Three-Day workshop organised by the
Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster
The Board Room, University of Westminster
309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW
Thursday 2 November 2006
The recent string of electoral successes by Islamist
parties in a number of Arab countries, of which the recent victory by
Hamas in Palestine is the most dramatic, seems to indicate that this
phenomenon is far from transient. It is a highly significant and
potentially transformative trend and calls for an urgent examination of
its impact on democratization and political stability in the region. In
response to recent events and in order to address new challenges posed
by “electing Islamism”, in the Arab world, the Democracy and Islam
Programme (in partnership with the University of Durham, the Program for
Dialogue between Civilizations, Faculty of Economics, Cairo University
and the International Foundation for Islamic Dialogue) is proposing to
hold a three-day workshop in London, at which invited participants from
a number of Arab states will have the opportunity to debate current
developments with academics, policy-makers and opinion-formers from
Britain and the EU. |
Format of workshop
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The workshop will be open only to invited participants (a maximum of 80). It will take place on 3-5 November 2006 at the University of Westminster in central London. It will take the form of a roundtable debate. A briefing paper, prepared by the Centre for the Study of Democracy and outlining the issues to be addressed, will be circulated in advance of the meeting. Selected participants (elected politician, EU/US policy makers and academics) will be invited to make brief presentations on each of the topics to be debated. |
Timetable
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ALL SPEAKERS TO BE CONFIRMED Friday, November 3, 2006 600: – 8:30 pm: Inaugural Session Chair: Dr Simon Joss, CSD Welcoming Remarks: Dr Abdelwahab El-Affendi, CSD Keynote Speech: Designated US Official (to be announced) Comments and Opening Remarks: Dr Ibrahim al-Jaafari Comments and Opening Remarks: Sheikh Rachid al-Ghannoushi 8:30-9:30 Reception Saturday, November 4, 2006 9:30 – 11am: First session Chair: Dr Emma Murphy, University of Durham • Addressing the Islamist Challenge: Too Much Ambition or Two Little? Discussion paper presented by Dr Abdelwahab El-Affendi, CSD,University of Westminster • Discussants: Dr Tariq Ramadan, Dr Abdolkarim Soroush, Dr Madawi al-Rashid 11 – 11.30am: Coffee break 11.30 – 1pm: Second session Chair: Dr. Mohamed Reza Khatami • Islamist vision(s) for political change, peace in the Middle East and relations with the West. • Speakers: Dr Nasir al-Sani’, Mr Jaafar al-Shaib, Dr Azzam Tamimi 1 – 2pm: Lunch 2 – 4pm Third session Chair: Dr Ahmet Davutoglu • EU and US concerns over policies advocated by Islamist groups • US European policy: Time for change? • Speakers to be announced 4 – 4.30am: Coffee break 4:30 – 6:30 pm Fourth session Chair: Professor John Keane • Islamist commitment to democracy and accommodation: lessons from Egypt, Jordan and Morocco • Speakers: Dr Abdulhamid Ghazali, Professor Ishaq al-Farhan, Dr Saad El-Din Uthmani, 8 pm Dinner Sunday, November 5, 2006 9:30 – 11am: Fifth session Chair: Dr Radwan Masmoudi • Re-evaluating the Iraqi Experience: • Speakers: Dr Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Dr Laith Kubba, Dr Usama Takriti. 11 – 11.30am: Coffee break 11.30 – 1pm: Final session Chair: Dr Maria Holt • Summaries and Conclusions |
Background
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While one should treat with caution the
results of elections held in Arab countries, given the many distorting
factors at work, there is no avoiding the conclusion that the results of
a series of recent elections in at least five Arab countries indicate
that Islamism as a phenomenon is here to stay. In parliamentary
elections held in Egypt, Palestine and Iraq, and municipal elections in
Saudi Arabia and Palestine, Islamists made a strong showing across the
board. In elections for professional and trade union bodies in Sudan,
Islamists also managed to retain hegemony against expectations. This
confirms a trend seen in earlier contests wherever elections have been
held, whether in Bahrain, Morocco, Kuwait, Jordan or Algeria. These
results are more remarkable given the many obstacles put in place to
prevent such outcomes. In Egypt, for example, the Muslim Brotherhood is
considered an illegal organisation, and government tactics have
specifically targeted its activists and voters with arrests and assaults
before and during the elections. The Brotherhood deliberately fielded
candidates for only a third of the seats in parliament, but ended up
winning close to a quarter of all parliamentary seats, a success rate of
nearly two thirds.
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