Islam and Secularism in Post-Colonial Thought : A Cartography of Asadian Genealogies

This book is a theoretically and historically informed exploration of 'secularism' in Muslim contexts. It does this through a critical assessment of an influential tradition of thinking about Islam and secularism, derived from the work of anthropologist Talal Asad and his followers. The study employs the tools of comparative historical sociology and sociology of knowledge to engage with the assumptions of Asadian theory. Ultimately, Enayat argues against nativist assertions drawn from the experience of Western modernity and provides a qualified defense of secularism.-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction....Pages 1-6 Secularism, Christianity and Imperialism....Pages 7-20 Violence, Governmentality and the ‘Othering’ of the Modern Nation-State....Pages 21-38 Secular and Religious Reason and Islam as a ‘Discursive Tradition’....Pages 39-54 Secularization Theory and its Discontents....Pages 55-63 The Body, Pain and Agency....Pages 65-75 Genealogies of ‘Religious Freedom’ and ‘Minority Rights’....Pages 77-87 Conclusion: The Limits of Asadian Genealogies of the Secular....Pages 89-96 Epilogue: Prospects for Secular Pluralism in Muslim-majority Societies....Pages 97-103 Back Matter....Pages 105-122 Hadi Enayat. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 105-115) And Index.