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A remarkable transformation is taking place in the Middle East. As old ideologies from nationalism to fundamentalism falter, many people are embracing a new vision grounded in secularism, gender equality, and individual freedom. Cracks in Tradition is a bold, data-driven account of the rise of liberal values in the Middle East, revealing the depth and breadth of a movement with the potential to change the course of world politics.
Drawing on more than 70,000 face-to-face interviews and in-depth qualitative insights from Egypt and Tunisia, Mansoor Moaddel rigorously analyzes real-world attitudes and trends. He provides a nuanced portrait of a region in flux, where liberal ideas are gaining strength despite the enduring power of fundamentalism and authoritarianism. Challenging entrenched assumptions and longstanding biases, Moaddel demonstrates that liberalism has emerged organically from within Middle Eastern societies, driven by local social, cultural, and historical dynamics. His groundbreaking model of ideological change shows how key domains of social life—governance, gender, and personal autonomy—are being reshaped by new systems of meaning, spurring the spread of liberal values. Provocatively argued and empirically rich, Cracks in Tradition provides a fresh, optimistic perspective on the future of the Middle East and global democracy.
— Ali Banuazizi, Boston College
Moaddel has written an authoritative and illuminating book that documents the recent rise of liberal values across the Middle East. Anyone interested in shifts in cultural values across time, especially as they pertain to the Middle East, should pay attention to this important work.
— Amaney Jamal, author of Barriers to Democracy: The Other Side of Social Capital in Palestine and the Arab World
In this compelling study, Mansoor Moaddel reexamines Islam and liberalism in the Middle East, revealing a discernible shift toward secular politics, gender equality, and individual autonomy. This important contribution shows how liberal aspirations arise endogenously, shaped by lived experience, political contestation, and a persistent quest for dignity and freedom.
— Ricardo René Larémont, SUNY Binghamton
An important contribution to our understanding of present-day normative and ideological currents in the Muslim Middle East… grounded in a rich foundation of public opinion data, and guided as well by thoughtful attention to the problematic ways the region has often been studied by others and by Moaddel’s own original and insightful theorizing.
— Mark Tessler, author of Islam and Politics in the Middle East: Explaining the Views of Ordinary Citizens
Introduction: From Fundamentalism to Liberal Democracy: Values, Attitudes, and the Process of
Change
1. The Rise of Secular Politics
2. Gender Relations and the Status of Women
3. Expressive Individualism
4. Trends in Liberal Values and by Gender, Age, Education, and National Identity
5. Islamic Fundamentalism
6. Secular Shift in Iran: A Natural Experiment on the Impact of Religious Oppression
Conclusion: Freedom, Progress, and Liberal Values as Drivers of Evolutionary Change
Notes
References
Index