Freedom in the Arab World : Concepts and Ideologies in Arabic Thought in the Nineteenth Century

A preoccupation with the subject of freedom became a core issue in the construction of all modern political ideologies. Here, Wael Abu-'Uksa examines the development of the concept of freedom (hurriyya) in nineteenth-century Arab political thought, its ideological offshoots, their modes, and their substance as they developed the dynamics of the Arabic language. Abu-'Uksa traces the transition of the idea of freedom from a term used in a predominantly non-political way, through to its popularity and near ubiquity at the dawn of the twentieth century. Through this, he also analyses the importance of associated concepts such as liberalism, socialism, progress, rationalism, secularism, and citizenship. He employs a close analysis of the development of the language, whilst at the same time examining the wider historical context within which these semantic shifts occurred: the rise of nationalism, the power of the Ottoman court, and the state of relations with Europe. An Examination Of The Concept Of Freedom In Nineteenth-century Arabic Political Thought, And How It Relates To Other Modern Ideologies. Machine Generated Contents Note: Rationale -- Survey Of Literature And The Study's Contribution -- 1. The Politicization Of Freedom, 1798 -- 1820 -- France In Egypt And The Levant, 1798 -- 1801 -- Egyptians And Levantines In France, 1801 -- 1820 -- 2. A Conceptual View Of Arabic Modernity Through Two Key Concepts, Civilization And Progress (tamaddun And Taqaddum) -- Politicizing Progress And Civilization -- Time And The Structure Of Civilization And Progress -- Theorization And Instrumentalization Of Civilization And Progress -- 3. Burdening The Political Aspects Of Freedom: The Formative Period, 1820 -- 1860 -- Texts, Politics, And Technological Developments -- The Emergence Of The Language Of Individual Freedom: Individual Principles, Constitutionalism, Sovereignty Of The People, And Natural Rights -- Collective Aspects Of The Language Of Freedom: Freedom Of Dynasties, Political Entities, And Institutions -- Language Of Nationalism, Transitions In Group Appellations, And Concepts Of Belonging -- Language Of National Liberation, 1798-1882 -- 4. The Construction Of Modern Ideologies In Arabic, 1860 -- 1882 -- From The Ideas Of Freedom To The Ideologies Of Freedom -- From Proponents Of Freedom To Socialism, Communism, And Anarchism -- Theorizing Freedom: Ideologies Of Tolerance, Autocratic Constitutionalism, And Liberalism. Wael Abu-'uksa, The Hebrew University Of Jerusalem. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 209-226) And Index. A preoccupation with the subject of freedom became a core issue in the construction of all modern political ideologies. Here, Wael Abu-'Uksa examines the development of the concept of freedom (hurriyya) in nineteenth-century Arab political thought, its ideological offshoots, their modes, and their substance as they developed the dynamics of the Arabic language. Abu-'Uksa traces the transition of the idea of freedom from a term used in a predominantly non-political way, through to its popularity and near ubiquity at the dawn of the twentieth century. Through this, he also analyzes the importance of associated concepts such as liberalism, socialism, progress, rationalism, secularism, and citizenship. He employs a close analysis of the development of the language, whilst at the same time examining the wider historical context within which these semantic shifts occurred: the rise of nationalism, the power of the Ottoman court, and the state of relations with Europe. A preoccupation with the subject of 'freedom' is a core issue in the construction of all modern political ideologies. Wael Abu-'Uksa examines the development of the concept of freedom in nineteenth-century Arabic thought, its ideological offshoots, and their substance as they developed within the context of a changing Middle East.