Salafism and Political Order in Africa

A comparative analysis of how African states have engaged with fundamentalist Muslim groups between the 1950s and today. Elischer outlines how African states can become radicalizers or demobilizers of homegrown violent extremism, providing a nuanced and systematic review of state-Islamic relations.

List of contents

Introduction: Africa's changing security landscape; 1. Cases, concepts and variation; 2. Critical junctures and the formation of state-led national Islamic associations; 3. Missed opportunities and the formation of Islamic federations; 4. The state as demobilizer of activist Salafism; 5. The state as enabler and radicalizer of activist Salafism; 6. From theory generation to theory testing; 7. Autocratic legacies, the state and Salafism in Africa; 8. Conclusion: reviewing state-Islamic relations in Africa; Appendix.

About the author

Sebastian Elischer is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida, Gainesville where his research examines the effects of institutions and identities on state-building and democratization in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has published on these topics in journals including Comparative Politics, Democratization and African Affairs and has advised governments on the unfolding security and political situation in several African countries. He is also the author of Political Parties in Africa: Ethnicity and Party Formation (2015).

Summary

A comparative analysis of how African states have engaged with fundamentalist Muslim groups between the 1950s and today. Elischer outlines how African states can become radicalizers or demobilizers of homegrown violent extremism, providing a nuanced and systematic review of state-Islamic relations.

Product details

• Authors: Sebastian Elischer, Sebastian (University of Florida) Elischer
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.08.2021
• EAN: 9781108739276
• ISBN: 978-1-108-73927-6
• No. of pages: 304
• Series: African Studies
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Ideologies / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Terrorism, Africa, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Comparative Politics, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / African, East Africa, Politics & government, Political science & theory, Terrorism, armed struggle, Comparative Politics, Revolutionary groups & movements, Politics and government, Religious and theocratic ideologies, Political science and theory, West Africa, Revolutionary groups and movements, Religious & theocratic ideologies, HISTORY / Revolutions, Uprisings & Rebellions