Narratives of Arab Secularism: Politics, Feminism, and Religion

The Center for Arab Unity Studies issued the book Narratives of Arab Secularism: Politics, Feminism, and Religion by Dr. Youssef M. Choueiri, translated by Galaa Samir Anas..

This book offers a new interpretation of the rich narratives about Arab secularism, as a set of ideas related to a social movement that is destined to emerge on the political and legal horizons of most Arab countries. Youssef Choueiri presents a study that includes three stops of the development of secularism in the Arab world: The Machiavellian moment, the Alverian moment, and the Gramscian moment. Within this framework, and based on the relationship of interactive secularism to state-building projects, women’s liberation, and religion, the author addressed secularism as an intellectual current and a discursive entity that constitutes an important part of the political process in different societies. Through the chapters of the book, Choueiri shows how secularism has a pivotal presence in the religious and political life of the Arab world, revealing the interconnected components between them, such as local contributions, various reform processes, and the influence of Western countries. He concludes that secularism has become a moral precondition and a necessary means to create the necessary conditions for the success of the democratic process in the Middle East.

This book is an important requirement for both students and academics working on topics related to the Middle East, including religion, politics, anthropology, and history.