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The Battle over a Civil State

The Battle over a Civil State

By Lavie, Limor

Published by State University of New York Press

English 254 pages 2018
Estimated reading time: 4 h 39 min
PDF

About this book

Traces the genealogy of the Western philosophic concept of the civil state, how that concept was assimilated into Egyptian political thought, and how it affected the 2013 coup against President Mursi. How is the concept of the civil state understood in Arab countries? In The Battle over a Civil State, Limor Lavie examines how this important concept, which originated in Western philosophy, became incorporated into Arab discourse. The civil state as understood in Arab political discourse, Lavie argues, attempts to bridge Islamic history and culture with modernity. It is an attempt to forge a middle ground between a purely theocratic rule and a purely secular rule, and a solution for the tensions between a desire to catch up with global modernization and democratization processes and the desire to reject those same processes. In the political discourse of most of the Arab Spring countries, the concept of the civil state played a pivotal role. In the public debate over the character of Egypt, in particular, following the January 25, 2011 uprising, the demand to establish a civil state was shared by all the political currents. However, when these currents sought to set out basic guidelines for Egypt's future, it soon became clear that they were far from reaching a consensus, and that the concept of the civil state was at the heart of the controversy between them. The struggle over Egypt's civil character in the post-Mubarak era was the main reason for the turbulence the country experienced on June 30, 2013-leading to the ouster of President Muhammad Mursi.

Availability

The Battle over a Civil State is available as PDF at 9 online bookshops. Bookshops carrying it include Bajalibros Argentina, Bajalibros Latam, Bookshop Uruguay.

Language
English
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In what formats is The Battle over a Civil State available?
The Battle over a Civil State is available as PDF at 9 online bookshops.
Where can I buy The Battle over a Civil State?
You can buy The Battle over a Civil State at Bajalibros Argentina, Bajalibros Latam, Bookshop Uruguay. Compare every option in the list on this page.
How long does it take to read The Battle over a Civil State?
At an average reading pace, The Battle over a Civil State takes about 4 h 39 min to read (254 pages).

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