A Transforming Islamic Landscape
Financiers
Swedish Research Council
Project type
Research
This project is basically an analysis of the televised shows of the Egyptian televangelist Amr Khaled. His Ramadan-shows has been immensely popular among Arab speaking Muslims all over the world. His teaching differs from many earlier preachers/teachers in that his interpretation is often directed to the more affluent people. Many sympathizers seem to be young people and women in particular. In his shows, questions relevant for young people and women are often in focus.
An interesting aspect is that Amr Khaled’s message is rather a-political, or was at least until the Arab Spring in 2011. His message is in this project placed in an Egyptian setting where various actors compete to hold interpretative authority of Islam. There is a constant tension, and the government has controlled preachers, mosques and various “movements”, such as the Muslim brotherhood, in order to control opposition. In the case of Amr Khaled, he has been careful not to oppose the government explicitly, but criticism regarding social justice, corruption and class-difference are frequent.
This project is related to discussions concerning on-going Islamisation in Egypt. The televised shows are analysed in a social-constructivist perspective in three discursive themes. 1) Gender issues. 2) Islamisation/secularisation. 3) The view on the Western world and modernisation/authenticity and tradition.
Research area / geographic area
Historical and Contemporary Studies Study of Religions
Project time
2008 — 2010
Page updated
11-12-2019