Explaining the Origins of Islamic Resurgence: Islamic Revivalism in Egypt and Indonesia

In: The Journal of social, political and economic studies, Band 22, Heft 3, S. 295-324

Abstract

Contemporary scholars have explained the resurgence of Islam throughout Egypt & Indonesia according to the "crises theses"; however, since the relevant research has been relatively unstructured, the validity of the theses is examined. The propositions of the crises theses are transformed into working hypotheses: (1) Illegitimate Muslim elite are more likely to turn to Islamic symbolism & religious legitimization. (2) Traditional Islam societies experiencing Westernization will experience a rise in mass Islamic consciousness. (3) The lower-middle classes are likely to unite with Islamic opposition groups in periods of economic crisis or sociopolitical estrangement. A historical analysis of the Islamic revival in Egypt & Indonesia supports the first two hypotheses & partially confirms the final one. It is concluded that more research is required to strengthen the viability of the crises theses in the Indonesian context. 46 References. J. W. Parker