The Management of Islamic Activism

Abstract

In his first book, The Management of Islamic Activism, Quintan Wiktorowicz examines the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafis through the lens of social movement theory. Unlike some political scientists who dismiss Islamic movements because of their informal networks, Wiktorowicz contends that social movement theory is an apt framework through which Islamic movements can be examined and studied. In this regard, his work leads the field. Yet for all its promise, this book largely fails to deliver. The book is divided into four primary sections, through which he tries to construct his conclusion: Jordanian political liberalization has occurred because of structural necessities, not because of its commitment to democratization. In addition, the state has been masterful in what he dubs the “management of collective action,” (p. 3) which has, for all practical purposes, stifled any real opposition. While his conclusion is certainly tenable, given his extensive fieldwork, the book is poorly organized and much of the evidence examined earlier in the work leaves many questions unanswered. The first chapter focuses rather heavily on the advent of Jordanian charitable NGOs and the state bureaucracy’s ability to effectively manipulate and control them. Although a key component of his argument is that the state bureaucracy has hampered and controlled the functionality of Islamic NGOs, he fails to explain what distinguishes Islamic NGOs from their counterparts. He clarifies: “The activities at most Islamic NGOs in Jordan do not differ substantially from those of secular and non-Islamic voluntary organizations” (p. 85). If this is correct, then what differentiates Islamic NGOs from non-Islamic NGOs? He explains: “What differentiates Islamic NGOs from their secular counterparts is … the volunteers’ beliefs that they are promoting Islam through their work. It is an insider belief in the mission, more than the activities themselves, that distinguishes them” (p. 85) It is quite remarkable that Wiktorowicz was privy to this “insider” belief. In a Muslim nation such as Jordan, it is hard to imagine that Islam is not a motivating factor in charitable work to some extent. The author argues that the state bureaucracy hampers Islamic NGOs, but is this indeed the case, or does the bureaucracy hamper all NGOs equally? This question remains unasked and unanswered. He would have us believe that the state bureaucracy has taken it upon itself to control Islamic NGOs, but does not thoroughly differentiate them from the non-Islamic NGOs ...