Modernisierung und Islam 44 (2004)
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The author distinguishes between three types of Islamic states. A first type uses Islam as political legitimation (Saudi Arabia). In contrast, the second type uses Islam merely as a political framework. In Iran, for instance, religious values are maintained while at the same time democratic elements, such as elections, can be found. Egypt is mentioned as an example of the third type of state that ranges between a secular and a religious political system. Looking at the modernization process in Egypt more closely, the author claims that without good governance the efforts of the state will be useless and religious extremism may dominate.
Beyond the line?
(2004)
In December 2003, the Orient-Occident Forum for Intercultural Exchange at the University of Potsdam and the academic partnership program Potsdam-Teheran held a week-long conference, titled „Comparing Processes of Modernization“, which was attended by many social scientists from Egypt, Iran and Germany. In this issue, some of the contributions of the conference are published and commented. During the course of the conference, an intercultural discourse – „beyond the line“ – concerning the responsibilities and development prospects of modernization theory took place. In their article, the organizers of the meeting try to systematically summarize these discussions and present some further reflections.
There have been three main phases of political discourse in recent Iranian history. A paternalistic era was accompanied by a phase of absolutistic rule during the Qagar dynasty. This phase was followed by a forced modernization, when the Shah of Iran expanded his absolutistic rule and established a dictatorship. With the Islamic Revolution of 1979, a new phase of political discourse emerged with a tendency towards religious traditionalism. The author states that religion and democracy are not in opposition. However, there is need for dialogue between the East and the West.