Early excitement induced by the arrival of the Arab spring has recently been dampened by the emergence of Islamist parties as key beneficiaries. With Ennahda taking the lion's share of the votes in Tunisia and the Muslim Brotherhood expected to do the same in Egypt, many are beginning to ask questions about the direction in which the region is heading.
However, success for traditional and well organised Islamist parties does not necessarily translate into success for Islamism. What we are really witnessing is the emergence of post-Islamism in the Arab world. Post-Islamism is the position that an increasing number of the more moderate Islamist parties are arriving at after being exposed to the reality of politics.
[A COMMENT] Islamism is the most reactionary force on the planet today. It is a rigid and vicious ideology that has supremaicsm built into its DNA. It oppresses women, preaches hatred of non-Muslims, and shows no mercy towards Muslims who dare to speak against it. It is a recipe for human misery, subjugation and social stagnation, and the sooner it is consigned to the dustbin of history the better. [Guardian Cif] Read more
