Islamic Socialism: The Difficulty of Justice as Equality
133 South 36th Street, Blank Forum (2nd Floor)
Philadelphia PA 19104-6215
About the Seminar:
Islamic socialists drew upon the centrality of justice in Islamic juridical and political thought to make a case for the coming together of Islam and socialism. Focusing on the ideas of two important South Asian anticolonial figures, Moshir Husain Kidwai (1877-1937) and Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1890-1988), I explore the ways in which they imagined racial and socio-economic justice. The explicit interest in drawing upon the Islamic tradition led them to foreground racial equality and the role of the individual in contrast to European socialist debates. However, the question of socio-economic equality presented some challenges to their interpretation of justice in the Islamic tradition. Thinking through these challenges and their implications for socio-economic justice remains important and pertinent today.
About the Speaker:
Humeira Iqtidar is a Professor of Politics at King's College London. Her research explores questions of justice and tolerance with a particular focus on Islamic thought and South Asia. Her work considers the role that religion as well as colonial legacies have played in shaping political imagination and politics of knowledge. Arguing for greater interdisciplinarity, she has sought to expand the methodological repertoire political theorists draw upon, particularly to engage with marginalized people's and traditions. An important area of interest has been institutional development in the Global South as well as fostering South-South collaborations. Her most recent publication is "Justice Beyond Rights: Haqq and Global South Migration" American Political Science Review, September 2024.