Constructing the dialogue of civilizations in world politics: a case of global Islamic activism

Abstract

Since the late 1990s, Islamic activists have been active in promoting a series of initiatives and institutions known as the ‘dialogue of civilizations’. This agenda was initiated by the former Iranian President Muhammad Khatami and subsequently promoted by faith-based movements such as the Gülen movement, and organizations such as the Organization of the Islamic Conference/Cooperation. The agenda of the dialogue of civilizations has been a response to the discourses of the end of history, the clash of civilizations, and the rejection of the West by Muslim fundamentalists. This article focuses on the emergence and spread of this agenda among Islamic elites, groups, and institutions. It argues that this agenda has become a significant part of contemporary Muslim thought and practice of world politics. Essentially, the dialogue agenda has facilitated institutional change within Islamic international organizations, spurred various Islamic attempts to accommodate other religions theologically, and instigated grassroots Islamic mobilization for interfaith dialogue. All these developments have fixed the dialogue agenda firmly in some Muslim circles and shaped their engagement with world politics.