Anthro of Islam

Page 1: Overview

• Title: The Idea of an Anthropology of Islam

• Author: Talal Asad

• Source: Qui Parle, SPRING/SUMMER 2009, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 1-30

• Published by: Duke University Press

• Stable URL: JSTOR Link

• Purpose: The article explores the parameters of an anthropology of Islam, discussing how Talal Asad's previous works have influenced anthropological discourse around Islam and religion.

Page 2: Talal Asad's Contributions

• Context of Asad's Work:

  • For over three decades, Asad’s scholarship has challenged prevailing paradigms in anthropology, particularly the textualization of social life and behaviors.

  • He redirects focus on the relationship between practices and the "discursive tradition." This concept is crucial across multiple fields, including religious studies and critical theory.

• Significance of the Work:

  • The paper aims to make accessible Asad's influential ideas on Islam, despite previous limited circulation.

  • Asad's 1986 paper paved the way for contemporary discussions on anthropology's evolving relationship with Islamic studies.

Page 3: Defining Anthropology of Islam

• Essential Questions:

  • What constitutes the anthropology of Islam? What is its investigative focus?

• Three Perspectives on Islam:

  1. No Theoretical Object: Some argue that there is no viable theoretical object termed "Islam."

  2. Heterogeneous Collection: Others assert that Islam is merely a label for diverse practices identified as Islamic.

  3. Distinctive Historical Totality: The third view, deemed most insightful by Asad, posits that Islam organizes various aspects of social life into a cohesive historical framework.

• Critique of Existing Literature:

  • Abdul Hamid El-Zein's work struggled with Islam's multiple forms, ultimately dissolving the concept of Islam as an analytical category.

Page 4: Gellner's Muslim Society

• Ernest Gellner's Contribution:

  • Gellner presents a model intertwining social structures, religious beliefs, and political behaviors, exploring Islam's interaction within these domains.

• Key Questions Raised:

  • How do theoretical problems inform the anthropology of Islam?

  • Gellner's text serves as a foundation for extracting theoretical questions that anthropologists must navigate.

• Comparative Framework:

  • Gellner contrasts Christian and Islamic historical configurations of power, highlighting differing relationships to religious discourse.

Page 5: Critiques of Historical Representations

• Concerns with Gellner’s Framework:

  • Gellner’s representation of Islam juxtaposes it too rigidly against Christianity, impacting how anthropologists conceptualize Islamic practices and political structures.

• Historical Developments:

  • There has been an extensive interaction between religious practices and political power in both Islamic and Christian histories, which must not be overlooked.

• Need for Complex Narratives:

  • Asad argues against simplifying the narrative into binaries of Islam versus Christianity, advocating for an exploration of how historical contexts shape these traditions.

Page 6: The Nature of Historical Structures

• Representation of Social Structures:

  • Gellner’s model portrays actors in Islamic societies as engaged in simplified narratives of struggle.

  • Asad critiques this dramatic representation for excluding the nuanced indigenous discourses present in all societies.

• Instrumental View of Language:

  • Gellner sees language as merely a facilitator for existing power dynamics, neglecting how language shapes understanding and negotiations of power.

Page 7: Questions of Wonder and Knowledge

• Curiosity Toward Others:

  • Historically, Muslims did not show curiosity toward Christianity to the extent that Christians did towards Islam, suggesting an asymmetry of knowledge production influenced by disciplinary practices.

• Need for Institutional Context:

  • Asad suggests the discourse about others must account for the institutional practices that generate knowledge about beliefs and cultures.

Page 8: Disciplinary Knowledge

• Discursive Construction of Knowledge:

  • The focus should be on institutional conditions that shape what is known about other beliefs rather than assuming intrinsic characteristics of either Islam or Christianity.

• Anticipating Change:

  • Understanding the dynamics of how communities define and regulate knowledge about their faiths is crucial for anthropological inquiry.

Page 9: Resolving Diversity in Islam

• Challenges in Defining Islam:

  • Asad critiques viewing Islam only through the lens of orthodoxy versus heterodoxy, pointing to the rich variation inherent in Muslim practices.

• Conceptualize Diversity Effectively:

  • Asad urges anthropologists to move beyond dichotomies to appreciate the contextual dynamics shaping different Islamic traditions.

Page 10: Comparative Schemas

• Gellner’s Typology of Islam:

  • A popular division exists distinguishing between urban (scripturalist) and rural (saint-revering) forms of Islam.

  • This distinction, linked to social structures, needs re-examination to assess its validity in different cultural contexts.

• Critique of the Binary Structure:

  • Asad posits that rigid categorizations often serve to perpetuate misunderstanding of Islamic diversity.

Pages 11-12: Social Actors and Structures

• Theatrical versus Analytical Approaches:

  • Anthropologists must consider historical narratives and discursive practices rather than utilizing theatrical structures to depict Muslim societies.

• Need for Diverse Methodologies:

  • Acknowledging the complexities of social actors and understanding them through their discourses will lead to richer anthropological insights.

Pages 13-14: Economic and Political Complexity

• Economic Structures’ Impact on Identity:

  • Analysis must engage with how economics frames identity and social action among different Islamic communities.

• Critique of Reductionist Labels:

  • Overreliance on labels like "tribe" can obscure the real historical and social dynamics at play in Muslim societies.

Pages 15-16: Moving Beyond Standard Narratives

• Re-evaluation of Fixed Structures:

  • Asad emphasizes the need to understand social structures as fluid rather than fixed, acknowledging the changes that occur over time.

• Islam's Historical Context:

  • The historical narrative of Islam must recognize the complexities of internal and external influences that shape it.

Pages 17-18: Heterogeneity in Practice

• Redefining Tradition:

  • Asad states traditions cannot be seen as homogenous, they are shaped by the social and historical contexts of various communities.

• Focus on Coherence:

  • Though diverse, Muslim traditions strive for coherence, influenced by power dynamics and socio-political environments.

Pages 19-20: The Role of Argument in Tradition

• Implications of Argument:

  • Argumentation is an intrinsic part of Islamic tradition, and Asad argues the anthropological focus should be on how reasoning influences practice.

• Representations of Islam:

  • Asad challenges previous assertions about Islam being a monolithic entity, advocating for a nuanced view that captures the discourse of contention within traditions.

Pages 21-22: Implications for Anthropological Practice

• Tradition as a Concept:

  • Tradition is not simply a relic of the past but involves continuous interpretations and adaptations to contemporary contexts.

• An Inclusive Approach:

  • An anthropology of Islam should be inclusive, examining varying beliefs and practices while recognizing the historical and social contexts that shape them.

Page 23-24: Conclusion

• Narrative Relationships:

  • The relation of anthropologists to the tradition they study is contingent on individual historical perspectives.

• Representation Controversy:

  • Each narrative about a religious tradition is contestable and shaped by the observer's positionality and interpretative frameworks.

Page 25-26: Notes and Citations

• Citations and References:

  • The article includes a comprehensive list of references citing key works related to Islamic studies, anthropological theory, and criticisms of existing literature.