Islam and Democracy After the Arab Spring

The landscape of the Middle East has changed dramatically since 2011, as have the political arena and the discourse around democracy. InIslam and Democracy after the Arab Spring, John L. Esposito, John Voll, and Tamara Sonn examine the state of democracy in Muslim-majority societies today. Applying a twenty-first century perspective to the question of whether Islam is "compatible" with democracy, they redirect the conversation toward a new politics of democracy that transcends both secular authoritarianism and Political Islam.

While the opposition movements of the Arab Spring vary from country to country, each has raised questions regarding equality, economic justice, democratic participation, and the relationship between Islam and democracy in their respective countries. Does democracy require a secular political regime? Are religious movements the most effective opponents of authoritarian secularist regimes? Esposito, Voll, and Sonn examine these questions and shed light on how these opposition movements reflect the new global realities of media communication and sources of influence and power.


Positioned for a broad readership of scholars and students, policy-makers, and media experts,Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring will quickly become a go-to for all who watch the Middle East, inside and outside of academia.

John Esposito is University Professor and Professor of Religion & International Affairs and of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University.

John Voll is Professor Emeritus of Islamic History at the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.

Tamara Sonn is Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor in the History of Islam at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.