http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/islam Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sat, 06 Jun 2026 17:17:13 -0400 Sat, 06 Jun 2026 17:17:13 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1815/racialized-discourse-and-economies-of-female-saracen-bodies-in-the-sultan-of-babylon By Claire Crow - The politics of trade relations between Europe and the East emerge in uncanny fashions in the fifteenth-century Middle English (ME) Charlemagne romance The Sowdone of Babylone (The Sowdone). While no diplomatic transactions between Saracens and Europeans take place, peculiar, hyper-exoticized goods at times do fall into the possession of Charlemagne's men, such as Saracen princess Floripas' magic girdle that nourishes the Twelve Peers in captivity or Ferumbras' healing balm that Oliver throws into the river mid-battle.[1] What Geraldine Heng refers to as the "mercantile imaginary" in the Middle... Mon, 12 Oct 2020 07:47 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1815/racialized-discourse-and-economies-of-female-saracen-bodies-in-the-sultan-of-babylon http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1814/recycled-tropes-and-the-persistence-of-islamophobia-in-american-films By Meagen Tajalle - In this essay, I provide a content analysis of commercially and critically successful films that perpetuate popularized Islamophobia, which is often masked as irreconcilable religious and cultural difference although it has in fact been consistently manufactured and weaponized throughout history in order to further Western empirical interests. Recycled tropes and stereotypes in cinematic depictions can be traced back to historical orientalism and political Islamophobia, both of which were instrumental in garnering support for the War on Terror. Specifically, I examine the racial, religious, and... Sat, 10 Oct 2020 08:43 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1814/recycled-tropes-and-the-persistence-of-islamophobia-in-american-films http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1648/the-next-frontline-of-the-battle-against-the-islamic-state-southeast-asia By Elani Owen - The global network of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as Daesh,2 is expanding rapidly. Southeast Asia is especially vulnerable because of its large Muslim population and its history of extremist groups. In fact, some experts predict that Daesh could establish a strong satellite presence in Southeast Asia within the next year, with dire consequences for the region.3 As the leader in the global fight against terror and in the Global Coalition to Counter Daesh, the United States (U.S.) needs to increase its counter terrorism cooperation with the governments in Southeast Asia... Wed, 07 Jun 2017 11:26 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1648/the-next-frontline-of-the-battle-against-the-islamic-state-southeast-asia http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1519/explaining-the-muslim-brotherhoods-electoral-success-in-egypt-examining-the-parliamentary-elections-of-2011-and-presidential-election-of-2012 By Jacob C. Potts - The most convincing arguments for the Muslim Brotherhood’s performance must be divided into two sections: their success in parliamentary elections under Mubarak and the elections following the ousting of Mubarak in 2011. In regards to the elections under Mubarak, I argue that the Brotherhood’s focus on the middle class, the actions by the state, and mistakes made by the secular opposition greatly helped them achieve more success than other opposition parties in the Mubarak era. In the elections of 2011 and 2012, the Brotherhood’s focus on economics, their vague platform, wide... Wed, 11 Jan 2017 10:04 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1519/explaining-the-muslim-brotherhoods-electoral-success-in-egypt-examining-the-parliamentary-elections-of-2011-and-presidential-election-of-2012 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1516/lasting-and-expanding-an-analysis-of-the-islamic-states-incentive-system By Isabelle Canaan - In the past five years, millions of people have lost their homes, loved ones, and lives.2 The Syrian territory is now a battlefield, contested by multiple actors. The rise of the Islamic State underscores the hopeless nature of this bloody quagmire. The speed at which the Islamic State has captured and held territory, as well as the degree to which it has dominated the Western psyche and monopolized Western fears, has been met with both shock and panic. Newspapers headlines scream about the unique and terrifying threat of the Islamic State and the imminent destruction of the West at its hands.... Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1516/lasting-and-expanding-an-analysis-of-the-islamic-states-incentive-system http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1536/environmental-decisions-in-the-context-of-war-bombing-isils-oil By David C. Harary - This paper evaluates the ethical dilemma coalition forces had to face when deciding to target and take out ISIL's primary source of revenue – oil. By gathering the impacts ISIL has had on the globe as well as the impacts aerial attacks could have on the MENA region; this paper was able to create a decision matrix that quantitatively weighs the options decision-makers had to limit further harm done on the region's society, environment, and economy. This paper serves as a baseline tool by which policymakers can quickly process the plusses and minuses of initiating attacks. Future research... Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1536/environmental-decisions-in-the-context-of-war-bombing-isils-oil http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1494/a-colonial-catalyst-reverberations-of-the-sykes-picot-agreement-in-the-rise-of-isis By Sumaia N. Masoom - The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (more commonly known as “ISIS,” but also referred to as the “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant” or simply “the Islamic State”) has been on a reign of terror in the Middle East for the past three years, and emerged seemingly out of nowhere. However, though its rise appeasr to be quite rapid and is often blamed on Islam or the Middle East itself, in reality, ISIS has its roots much deeper in history, as far back as the beginnings of Western colonialism and the fall of the Ottoman Empire, and the subsequent western affinity... Fri, 11 Nov 2016 11:45 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1494/a-colonial-catalyst-reverberations-of-the-sykes-picot-agreement-in-the-rise-of-isis http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1489/isis-and-the-global-image-war-an-archival-perspective-on-iconoclastic-performance-and-bio-political-authority By Christian Rossipal - The so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) – also known as ISIL, IS and Daesh – has during the last years disseminated videos throughout the Internet in a new recruitment and media strategy focusing on the destruction of cultural heritage. This phenomenon will be used as a point of departure to reflect on the related global image war and the accompanying dissemination of moving images through multimedia archives and pseudo-archives on the Internet. Drawing mainly from Pasi Väliaho – but also Wolfgang Ernst, Ömür Harmanșah and Charles Merewether &ndash... Wed, 02 Nov 2016 10:36 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1489/isis-and-the-global-image-war-an-archival-perspective-on-iconoclastic-performance-and-bio-political-authority http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1452/defining-a-terrorist-a-critical-examination-of-the-discourse-of-terrorism By Kanar Talabani - Understanding the term 'terrorist' is a complex and controversial issue within both academic scholarship and mainstream literature. By adopting a post-structuralist approach to the study of 'terrorism,' we are able to dissect the terms and understand how and why they have become dominant in recent years. This involves an in depth critical analysis of the knowledge and understanding of the use of the term. This essay applies post-colonial theory in understanding the evolution of identity discourse and its application within the study of 'terrorism.' I focus on the Eurocentric approaches to defining... Wed, 21 Sep 2016 08:26 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1452/defining-a-terrorist-a-critical-examination-of-the-discourse-of-terrorism http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1412/womens-motivations-and-roles-in-islamist-organizations By Audrey Cleaver-Bartholomew - It is a common misperception that Islamist organizations are men’s groups. Some, like the Muslim Brotherhood, even involve specifically gendered names, or include other references to “brothers” and “brotherhood.” Beyond exclusive language, Islamist organizations most frequently recruit among young men and feature gender-segregated spaces with all-male leadership. In the West, Islamists are widely regarded as misogynists and little distinction is made between mainstream organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood and violently oppressive organizations like the Taliban... Tue, 31 May 2016 08:04 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1412/womens-motivations-and-roles-in-islamist-organizations http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1574/terrorist-divorce-examining-alliance-break-ups-and-the-al-qaedaisil-split By Vivian G. Hagerty - Though somewhat counterintuitive given terrorist organizations' clandestine nature, such organizations do engage in strategic alliances and partnerships with one another. A handful of scholars have grappled with terrorist alliances, but a gap in the literature remains when it comes to how these alliances end. This study will examine "terrorist divorce" – the point at which these alliances fall apart – by building a preliminary theoretical discussion and investigating the break-up of al Qaeda Core and The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (formerly al Qaeda in Iraq). The study finds... Tue, 31 May 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1574/terrorist-divorce-examining-alliance-break-ups-and-the-al-qaedaisil-split http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1415/consequences-of-iraqi-de-baathification By Cherish M. Zinn - Ambassador Paul Bremer of the Coalition Provisional Authority, America's interim government between Saddam's fall and the independent establishment of a new Iraqi government, issued two specific orders during his term which combined to create a power vacuum in the weakened nation. The first order, or the De-Baathification order, eliminated the top four tiers of Saddam's Baath party from current and future positions of civil service. The second disbanded the Iraqi military. Both orders worked to eliminate the institutional memory of all Iraqi institutions, requiring Bremer to establish the nation... Mon, 23 May 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1415/consequences-of-iraqi-de-baathification http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1314/islamic-feminism-in-egypt-toward-a-reconceptualization-of-social-movement-theories By Sabrina Moro - A review of literature on social movements highlights its many and sometimes conflicting definitions. Relying on Saba Mahmood’s Politics of Piety (2005) – an ethnographic account of grassroots women’s piety movement in the mosques of Cairo – and literature on Islamic feminism, I ask whether religious movements are social movements and show that social movement theories and concepts such as ‘feminism’, ‘secular’ and ‘religious’ are the product of a specific set of discourses inscribed in western academic history. This paper thus calls... Wed, 25 Nov 2015 10:11 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1314/islamic-feminism-in-egypt-toward-a-reconceptualization-of-social-movement-theories http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1061/the-shah-bano-controversy-a-case-study-of-individual-rights-religious-tolerance-and-the-role-of-the-secular-state By Jill M. Oglesbee - Since Independence, the Indian government has struggled to achieve political modernity within acceptable religious boundaries. Religious diversity in India necessitates governmental sensitivity toward sometimes opposing principles, and yet, when religious practices threaten an individual’s access to the rights of citizenship, a secular government has to intervene. The Indian Supreme Court case of Mohammad Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum and others brought to the forefront issues of citizenship, minority identity, and national sovereignty amidst an environment of fear and tension during the... Sat, 29 Aug 2015 07:57 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1061/the-shah-bano-controversy-a-case-study-of-individual-rights-religious-tolerance-and-the-role-of-the-secular-state http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1054/the-islamic-state-healthcare-paradox-a-caliphate-in-crisis By Archit Baskaran - The civil war in Syria has taken an enormous toll on civilian populations. One of the most commonly overlooked aspect of this crisis is the impact on healthcare in the region. Syria’s health capacity has been ravaged by years of government bombings and Islamic State expansion. As the Islamic State (IS) continues to consolidate territory, its actions become less and less clear. Islamic State militants have embarked on a brutal campaign against health providers and infrastructure, yet they attempt to promote health among other social services in order to gain support from local populations... Sun, 05 Jul 2015 05:14 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1054/the-islamic-state-healthcare-paradox-a-caliphate-in-crisis http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1181/al-jazeera-america-and-strategic-responses-to-the-perception-problem By Audrey Carson - Conservative pundits, like Glenn Beck of Fox News fame, immediately meted out blistering condemnations of the channel, going so far – in Beck’s case – as to describe Al Jazeera as “interested in the promotion and protection of Sharia law” and “as close to being an enemy of the state as any media can get” [2]. Despite radical right reports to the contrary, Al Jazeera America is not a Muslim media source, nor does it produce any content that suggests it “speaks” for Islam. Since its inception, the channel has largely succeeded in establishing... Wed, 15 Apr 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1181/al-jazeera-america-and-strategic-responses-to-the-perception-problem http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1016/mob-violence-against-women-in-algeria-a-historical-case-analysis By Renee S. Grozelle - Violence against women has recently become well recognized as a violation of human rights that holds worldwide significance. Unfortunately, violence against women outside of North America has gone largely unnoticed among the academic community and the media. Algerian citizens have seen this failure to acknowledge violent incidents targeting women as a simplistic representation of underlying problems facing Algerian women in local communities. This paper applies Marshall and Stockes’ (1981) Schematic Presentation of Political Contingencies in an effort to identify historical and cultural... Fri, 20 Mar 2015 03:36 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1016/mob-violence-against-women-in-algeria-a-historical-case-analysis http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1487/power-religion-and-capital-punishment-a-comparative-analysis-between-abolitionist-turkey-and-retentionist-iran By Mariam Azhar - Turkey and Iran are both predominately Muslim-populated countries with a history of powerful political leaders who have shaped their societal values and perceptions towards capital punishment. Until the 1920s both countries employed a fairly punitive policy with regards to capital punishment. However, with the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, Ataturk Mustafa Kemal finally achieved Turkish independence, which started Turkey on the road towards Westernization and secularism. Similarly in 1926, Reza Khan deposed an age old monarchy in Iran and followed the Kemalist ideology to lay the foundations for... Fri, 15 Nov 2013 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1487/power-religion-and-capital-punishment-a-comparative-analysis-between-abolitionist-turkey-and-retentionist-iran http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/785/caught-between-deradicalization-and-disengagement-clarifying-terms-in-the-discourse-of-terrorism By T M - Observations from the media and from public discourse on Islamist radicalization reveal that terms such as 'Islamist extremism,' 'terrorism,' and 'Islamism' are often used without a clear or common definition. The same can be said for the use of these terms in academic literature. As pointedly stated by various actors, including al-Qaeda's deceased ideologue and leader Osama bin Laden[1], “one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter,”[2] and whereas suicide bombers are seen as the epitome of so called 'Islamist extremism', various commentators have suggested recognizing them... Thu, 14 Nov 2013 12:57 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/785/caught-between-deradicalization-and-disengagement-clarifying-terms-in-the-discourse-of-terrorism http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/753/americas-misguided-war-on-terror-contrasting-samuel-huntingtons-clash-of-civilizations-with-ibn-khalduns-theory-of-social-solidarity By Aminata M. Kone - Islam has been under siege since 2001 and in today's political environment, Muslims are too often associated with terrorism. The heinous attacks of 9/11 were treated by the U.S. not as crimes – which would require criminal prosecution and law enforcement – but as a statement of war against Americans, freedom, democracy, and “the Western way of life” (Hossein-zadeh 2006: 91). From this standpoint, and viewing acts of terrorism as acts of war, a military response seemed appropriate. So far, however, the global war on terror has done little to eradicate terrorism. On the contrary... Mon, 02 Sep 2013 02:31 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/753/americas-misguided-war-on-terror-contrasting-samuel-huntingtons-clash-of-civilizations-with-ibn-khalduns-theory-of-social-solidarity http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1209/effects-of-islamic-banking-on-financial-market-outcomes-in-gcc-countries-and-iran By Robert Morrissey - Islamic banking and finance have become increasingly widespread over the past two decades, particularly in Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. This paper uses country-level data to examine how growing Islamic banking sectors have affected financial market outcomes in six countries. The analysis is split into two parts, first testing the hypothesis that countries with large Islamic banking sectors were less affected by the 2008 financial crisis than countries with strictly conventional banking systems, and second testing the hypothesis that emerging Islamic... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 06:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1209/effects-of-islamic-banking-on-financial-market-outcomes-in-gcc-countries-and-iran http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/700/ignoring-islam-us-education-in-need-of-intervention By John J. Smith - The United States’ education system is unprepared to discuss Islam, despite the pertinence of religious education in the modern world. With the events of September 11, 2001, the words “Muslim” and “Islam” have become parts of the American vernacular; however, the biased media coverage of 9/11 connoted the religion of Islam with villainy and extremism. An investigation of textbooks before and after 9/11—finding that most textbooks either abridge or neglect Islam—demonstrates the lack of religious education in secondary education. This education is necessary... Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:43 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/700/ignoring-islam-us-education-in-need-of-intervention http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/694/the-islamic-middle-ages-a-fractured-polity-and-the-flourishing-of-a-cultural-and-scientific-renaissance By Anam Qudrat - Ibn Khaldun highlighted that societies in their natural state exist in the rural countryside, where the struggle of daily life binds kinsmen together (Abdullah, 2012a). Defining this strong familial bond as “asabiyya,” he stated that eventually this bond of zealous loyalty to one’s brethren becomes the driving force behind conquest (Abdullah, 2012a). However, after conquest, as time passes and individuals delve in their material gains and elitist dispositions, the once impeachable bond of asabiyya begins to disintegrate. At this stage, fragmentation of the state is inevitable... Wed, 12 Sep 2012 10:23 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/694/the-islamic-middle-ages-a-fractured-polity-and-the-flourishing-of-a-cultural-and-scientific-renaissance http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/636/book-review-the-shia-revival-how-conflicts-within-islam-will-shape-the-future-by-vali-nasr By Hamad R. Hamad - In his book The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future (2006), Vali Nasr addresses an issue that is gaining increased importance in the contemporary coverage of global Islam: Sunni-Shia relations. Vali Nasr is a widely respected scholar who claims expertise in multiple fields that pertain to Middle Eastern and South Asian politics, particularly Sunni-Shia relations. In the book Nasr examines the issue from, what some would consider to be, a Shia perspective that is often overlooked in favor of Sunni viewpoints. This is made apparent through his disdain of how Islamic history... Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:59 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/636/book-review-the-shia-revival-how-conflicts-within-islam-will-shape-the-future-by-vali-nasr http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1063/the-protocols-of-the-elders-of-mecca By Erik Eriksen - This could be referring to Nazi propaganda from the 1930s. However, it is, in fact, an ideology that is gaining influence in contemporary Europe. This time, allegedly, it is not Jews that have a plan to take control over Europe; it is Muslims. The nation is not perceived as being stabbed in the back by Marxists and “cultural Bolsheviks”, but, allegedly, by multiculturalists and “cultural Marxists”. This is the “Eurabia” conspiracy theory, supported by influential European politicians, some of which are holding the balance of power in parliament, such as the... Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1063/the-protocols-of-the-elders-of-mecca http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/518/democracy-and-islamism-in-algeria-islamocracy By Marissa B. Goldfaden - "The economic difficulties of the mid to late 1980s coincided with the large scale rise of Islamism, as many middle-class educated youth found themselves jobless and without prospects. Islamism offered a governmental alternative that was more authentic culturally than imported, Western ideologies such as socialism, which had failed. The riots of October 1988 marked the end of Algeria's one party rule, as the government formally liberalized in 1989, allowing for competition between political parties. This political opening was exploited by Islamists, who quickly formed the Islamic Salvation... Tue, 26 Apr 2011 09:13 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/518/democracy-and-islamism-in-algeria-islamocracy http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1226/adapt-qaeda-analyzing-the-relationship-between-ideology-organizational-transformation-and-the-exploitation-of-information-technology By Sandeep S. Chhabra - This paper traces and analyzes the organizational evolution of al-Qaeda from the late 1980s to the present day. It notes that al-Qaeda initially exhibited a hierarchical system and then adopted a hub network approach. Following 9/11 and the U.S assault in Afghanistan, the environment surrounding al-Qaeda was drastically altered, and thus organizational changes became necessary. Employing the concept of a "dune" organization to explain the unique and fluid organizational features al-Qaeda currently exhibits, this paper argues that al-Qaeda strategically chose to exploit the Internet and... Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1226/adapt-qaeda-analyzing-the-relationship-between-ideology-organizational-transformation-and-the-exploitation-of-information-technology http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/257/how-to-think-about-iran-demystifying-a-complex-international-challenge By Michael J. Norris - "When can we expect a pro-Western, pro-business government in Iran?" asks a US government official in the quasi-fictitious film Syriana. Today, it is highly probable that the same question is still being asked by anxious diplomats the world over. Iran’s nuclear aspirations, domestic repression and vast oil reserves have posed concern to both Western powers and its Arab neighbours. The resulting stigma which surrounds Irant—that of a backward nation run by basket-case ideologues—has perpetuated the string of diplomatic failures. Misinformation about Iran is rife and consequently... Mon, 21 Jun 2010 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/257/how-to-think-about-iran-demystifying-a-complex-international-challenge http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/252/a-response-to-tanzimat-sultan-abdul-hamid-ii-and-pan-islamism By Alyson M. Chouinard - Under the rule of the Sultan Abdul Hamid II in the late nineteenth century the concept of Pan-Islamism, the concept that all Islamic peoples should unite under the Caliphate, was used as a means of supporting the declining power of the Ottoman ruler. This was done for three distinct reasons that will be argued in this article. The first reason was to counteract the growing power of European powers in the area; the second to undo the secularization that occurred during the Tanzimat period; and the last reason was to give the Sultan political power both in the international arena and domestically... Fri, 14 May 2010 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/252/a-response-to-tanzimat-sultan-abdul-hamid-ii-and-pan-islamism http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/248/islamic-modernism-responses-to-western-modernization-in-the-middle-east By Yevgeniya Baraz - By the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, a large part of the Muslim world had begun to lose much of its cultural and political sovereignty to Christian occupiers from Europe. This came as a result of European trade missions during earlier centuries that had propagated Western technology and modernization. There was a large shift of power due to the declining Ottoman Empire, which led to an essential subordination of Muslims because of Western technology and modernization. This subjugation by Christian empires led Muslims of the Middle East to question their own beliefs as well as their... Mon, 10 May 2010 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/248/islamic-modernism-responses-to-western-modernization-in-the-middle-east