The discourse of power and knowledge in the social sciences and study of Muslim society

Mohd. Yusof, Danial (2012) The discourse of power and knowledge in the social sciences and study of Muslim society. Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, 23 (3). pp. 381-400. ISSN 0959-6410

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Abstract

This article examines parallels between contemporary Western and Muslim thought. It proposes that there is congruence in Western and Muslim political thought on issues of soft foundationalism, negative theology, provisional truth claims and religious democracy to offset hegemonic tendencies. In the social sciences, specifically political science, the neutralization of ideology is also supported in response to concern about ideological encroachments into the discipline. In addition, the article discusses the residual issue of positivism and knowledge as social construction, i.e. the social sciences themselves as ideological with regard to the agnostic position of their methodology. This has implications for the study of religion, in this case Islam, and the field's problematic nomenclature, such as Islamism and, now, post-Islamism. This is explored through a discussion of the Arab Spring and Malaysian politics. The article concludes that similar concerns on the relationship between power and knowledge in contemporary Western and Muslim thought are beneficial to the social sciences and their study of the Muslim world's transformation as a social and political phenomenon.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Additional Information:	3052/26508
Uncontrolled Keywords:	foundationalism, political thought, power and knowledge, social sciences, hegemony, post-Islamism, Islamic human sciences
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc > BP1 Islam
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of Political Science
Depositing User:	Mrs. Wan Salwati Wan Salleh
Date Deposited:	09 Nov 2012 12:20
Last Modified:	09 Nov 2012 12:21
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/26508

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