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This book traces the colonial foundations of modernity as it emerged in non-Western contexts, offering new theories and challenging Eurocentric accounts.
Focusing on Muslim societies, the book maps the entanglements of empire, secularism, capitalism and the nation-state within global power structures. The chapters reveal how modern political, economic, and social orders have been shaped—and often distorted—by imperial legacies.
From legal renewal to postcolonial governance and global finance, this is a unique study that explores the ways in which states and societies in the Global South continue to grapple with, adapt to and resist the pressures of a hegemonic modernity.
‘This work offers a new analysis of the Global South’s experience with colonialism and its aftermath, applicable beyond its immediate regions of investigation.’ Tongdong Bai, Fudan University
‘This is a unique, in-depth presentation and analysis of the origins, processes and impacts of European colonialism, modernization and secularization theory on Muslim states and societies, as well as the subsequent and ongoing processes of modernization rooted in decolonization and social change in Muslim societies of the Global South.’ John L. Esposito, Georgetown University
‘In this original work, Omer Awass rethinks modernity itself—uncovering colonial power, reimagining secularization, and illuminating paths of resistance across Muslim societies and the wider Global South.’ Ahmet Davutoglu, former Prime Minister of Türkiye
Introduction
Prologue: Before Modernity: Agrarian-Based Society Outside of Europe Before the Era of Colonial/Capitalist Hegemony: With Illustrations from Muslim History
Part I: Studies in Coloniality
1. Mapping the Emergence of the Global Power Field (GPF) and its Penetration in the Muslim World c.1850-1950
2. “Double Consciousness,” Orientalism, and Colonial Subjectivity: Understanding the Socio-Historical Dynamics for the Emergence of Western Cultural Hegemony in the Age of European Colonialism c.1850-1950
3. Attaining Nationhood: The Nineteenth-Century Historical and Political Antecedents for the Twentieth-Century Emergence of the Nation-State in the Middle East
4. Secularization Re-Conceived: The Political Genealogy of Secularism in the Muslim World
5. Birth of the Nation-State in the Middle East: Islam, Secularity, and Modernity
Part II: Studies in Decoloniality and Neo-Coloniality
6. The Transformation of the Global Power Field (GPF) After World War II and Its Impact on the Global South
7. The Projection of a Globalized Communicative Field (GCF): Socio-Political Tectonics of Western Cultural/Epistemic Imperialism in the Information Age C.1945-Present
8. Negotiating Modernity: The Transformation of Islamic Law in the Postcolonial Era
9. Political Revolution and Decolonizing the Modern Nation-State: Religious Governance in Contemporary Iran
10. Normative Responses to Neoliberal Globalization: Fatwas and Capitalist Ideology
Conclusion