ABSTRACT
There is little doubt today as to the importance of Muslim politics in con-
temporary world affairs. From the emergence of transnational networks
pursuing global militant agendas in the name of Islam, to the persistence
and transformation of traditional Islamic political parties, to the appear-
ance of global media personalities claiming to speak as authoritative and
authentic Islamic voices-Islam and politics seem today to be everywhere.
But how well do we actually understand this phenomenon? Muslim politics
are certainly much discussed today, but-arguably-little or poorly understood within most circles of debate and deliberation. How can we best make
sense of this highly complex, diverse, and sometimes even contradictory
world of religion and politics? How to understand the relative importance
of the multiple manifestations of Muslim politics around the world and the
many competing voices claiming to speak on behalf of Islam? What is the
difference between those Islamist movements that emphasize jihad and
those that pursue politics through non-violent, even democratic, means-
and how do they relate to each other? What possible futures might we predict for political Islam?
