Part 2 What Basis for Statehood: Religion or Citizenship?, 2.1 Al-Dawlah al-Madanīyah: A Concept to Reconcile Islam and Modern Statehood?

During the Arab Spring, protesters in many Arab countries such as Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt strongly called for al-dawlah al-madanīyah. However, the protest movement itself did not give a clear answer as to what exactly is meant by the call for al-dawlah al-madanīyah. On a general level the term al-dawlah al-madanīyah can be referred to as the Arab notion of what Western, secularized nations would consider the “civil state”. The history and development of Islamic countries, however, has been distinctly different from that of European and other Western states. Does...