Rethinking Arab Political Theory: Challenges of Theories of Transformations

Workshop

The fact that most political theorists were surprised by the Arab uprisings of 2011 is also attributed to Eurocentric aspects of theory that bear a weak reflection of the conditions of Arab societies. This increases the need to formulate political theories that account for local conditions and characteristics, while also being in dialogue with broader theoretical approaches.

In addition to its theoretical contributions, Arab political theory ought to align with the evolving processes of transformation. In this context, the theoretical framework will be intertwined with visions and recommendations regarding the desired formation of political order. These visions for will inevitably differ between theorists, hinging also on their normative political positions.

The workshop addresses these interconnected points. Invited experts discuss current endeavors in Arab political theory, also with an eye to practical transformation and normative implications, and bring them into conversation with European political theory. This is reflected in the contributions, most of which are by Arab intellectuals and scholars. The presentations will also be held in Arabic with simultaneous translation into English.