Research Plans: Unit 2

Unit 2 Society and Economy in the Islamic World

The Institute of Asian Cultures, Sophia University

Unit Leader: KISAICHI Masatoshi

Islamic Area Studies Unit 2 Research Office

The Institute of Asian Cultures, Sophia University

7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan

Tel: +81-3-3238-3162; +81-3-3238-3697 Fax: +81-3-3238-3162

E-mail: y-hosonu@hoffman.cc.sophia.ac.jp

Unit 2: Research Themes and Activities

The basis of our research lies in studying contemporary sociological and political issues from a historical outlook.

Research of the past three years based on this outlook led to Unit 2ﾕs current focus on issues of the populace and democratization in Islamic areas. Through the three workshops, namely, ﾒThe Significance of Civil Societies and Democratization in the Contemporary Islamic World (1997),ﾓ ﾒDemocratization and Social Movements (1999),ﾓ and ﾒDemocratization and Popular Movements in Islamic Countries (1999),ﾓ we found the situation of democratization in Islamic areas as follows: since the notion of democratization is often exploited in the competition for political power, it is uncertain to what degree the peopleﾕs opinion has been reflected in politics.

With this situation in mind, people and democratization in Islamic areas will be comprehensively studied by analyzing political situations, economic development, and popular movements. The research results will be discussed at the international workshop entitled ﾒPopular Movements in Islamic Areas (November 2000).ﾓ Further insight is expected to be gained by inviting scholars to Japan and conducting research abroad, and through specific group studies. Group 2-A will initiate two working groups entitled ﾒReason and Religionﾓ and ﾒPopular Uprisings in Islamﾓ to explore the above research themes on the basis of the Islamic principles. Below are the research plans of each group for this year.

Group 2-A Despite the presence of many political parties and parliamentary institutions, true ﾒdemocracyﾓ does not exist in many Islamic countries. Besides economic development and institutional remodeling, social development is essential for the realization of true democracy. On this supposition Group 2-A will look closely into social movements, civil societies, and democratization. Five or six case-study seminars will be held in order to discuss the problems of democratization in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Group 2-A will also organize group seminars for historical and theoretical studies on the relationship between Islam and democracy.

Group 2-B will examine the following topics in relation to Islamic areas: transition to a market economy and economic development; introduction of Islamic banking systems and Islamic economy; designing regional unification; networks of commerce, distribution, and labor force; and development of natural resources and environmental issues. We will hold five or six workshops, where we will discuss the influence of economic development on human rights and environmental issues in Islamic areas.

Group 2-C will study the complex phenomena related to Sufism, saint veneration, and tariqah. These issues, in which one finds refinement of thought mingled with popular faith, have both historical and contemporary aspects. They are inseparable from many political and economic movements, and the study of these issues covers many regions, time periods, and academic fields. There will be five or six workshops and a two-day workshop, in which we will examine the complex phenomena in relation to the life of the populace and public welfare, combining case studies and theoretical studies. The results of our research on the culture of dress (discussed in group seminars) will be made available through publications or digital media.

The research results of Unit 2 will be compiled into proceedings and papers. By the end of this academic year, the proceedings of the two workshops ﾒDemocratization and Popular Movements in Islamic Countries (1999)ﾓ and ﾒZiyara: Ethno-Historical Study of Muslim Visitation to Religious Places (1997)ﾓ will be published in English. The workshops that were held last year in English such as ﾒPir, Waiz and Imam: Religious Leadership Among the Ismailis in Pakistanﾓ (paper by NEJIMA Susumu) will also be published as part of the Working Paper Series. Group 2-C will construct glossaries of concepts and terminology related to Sufism, veneration of saints, and tariqah. The glossaries will be made available on our website.

Unit 2: International Exchange

Scholars to be sent abroad

- HORIKAWA Toru, AKAHORI Masayuki, IMAMATSU Yasushi (Kobe University), and MORIYAMA Teruaki (The University of Tokyo) will carry out research on popular beliefs in the Islamic countries of Asia. August 1-20, 2000. Karachi, Tashkent, Damascus.

Scholars invited from abroad

-Boaz SHOSHAN (Ben Gurion University, Israel) and Hayati NIZAR (The State Institute for Islamic Studies Imam Bonjol, Padang, Indonesia) will attend the Unit 2 Joint Workshop. November 20-30, 2000.

Unit 2: From the Group Leaders

(Group 2-A) Group 2-A will investigate a variety of issues related to social development (social movements, civil societies, and democratization) because social development, besides economic development and institutional remodeling, is indispensable for the realization of democracy. Fundamental studies will be conducted on topics such as the role of the populace in democratization, the history of democratization, and the relationship between Islamic thought and democracy. (KISAICHI Masatoshi)

(Group 2-B) Group 2-B is led by SHIMIZU (Group Leader), NAGASAWA, and TORII. The following issues will be examined in relation to Islamic areas including Southeast Asia: globalization and economic development; the development of market economy; upheavals in industry and social hierarchy; introduction of Islamic banking systems to economy; regional unification schemes; networks of commerce, distribution, labor force and capital; economic development and natural resource development (petroleum and natural gas); environmental problems; population issues; and issues associated with ODA and NGOs. Throughout the research, we will lay emphasis on the role of Islam in economic cooperation and unification as well as the responses of various Islamic movements in the face of economic crises. (SHIMIZU Manabu)

(Group 2-C) Focusing on the complex phenomena associated with Sufism, saint veneration, and tariqah, we will prepare for the publication of our results. The case studies will be continued by young researchers and we will hold a series of seminars based on theoretical themes. A glossary of preceding works, the English workshop proceedings, and the database on the culture of dress will be completed. (AKAHORI Masayuki)