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Unit 1: Thought and Politics in the Islamic World
The First Joint Meeting of Grobup A, B and C
on June 21 and 22, 1997.reported by MATSUMOTO Hiroshi
Chair: NAGASAWA Eiji
Session I:
Keynote Speech: SATO Tsugitaka
"Main Objectives and Executive Principles of the IAS Project"Session II:
Report: KOSUGI Yasushi
"Contemporary Islam and Politics"
Commentator: IGARASHI TakeshiWe have held the first joint meeting of Unit 1 at the International University of Japan, Niigata Prefecture, on June 21st and 22nd, 1997. There were nineteen participants, in addition to the chief of Unit 1, Prof. TAKESHITA and the members of Group A, B, and C. The leader of the entire project Prof. SATO also joined us.
On the first day, Prof. SATO explained the objectives, framework, policy, operations, and expected fruits of the Project. During the speech, he requested the members to participate actively and positively in, for example, planning research, forming international networks, promoting publications in English, and good coordination between the Groups of the Project. Especially, he stressed how different this new style Project is from other projects.
In the second session, Prof. KOSUGI read the paper of the above title and raised the general issues related to the concepts of the Islamic Politics or Political Islam. To this paper, the Commentator, Prof. IGARASHI, from the view point of Political Science or International Politics, asked the matters of Ummah, Faqih's authority, Islamic State and others. These questions resulted in hot discussion by the members.
On the second day, each group held an individual meeting in order to discuss plans for this year. In the Group A, we discussed how to prepare the "Afghani Symposium" in November, and other plans including some publications and translations of contemporary Islamic thought.
This meeting was the first opportunity where the members of three groups were able to gather and discuss together. Thus, it was very useful and significant not only for exchanging views and discussion but also for the communication between the members and the whole activities of Unit 1.