Wednesday Forum minggu ini menyajikan sebuah tema menarik “Bisakah Sebuah ‘Negara Islam’ Sukses?”. Pembicara pada forum kali ini adalah Salem Ghandour. Kami mengundang Anda untuk bergabung dalam forum ini. Beberapa informasi mengenai forum ini dapat dibaca di bawah ini.
Hari/tanggal: Rabu, 13 May 2009
Waktu: 12.30 14.30 WIB (makan siang gratis)
Tempat: Ruang 306, UGM Sekolah Pascasarjana Jln. Teknika Utara Pogung
Pembicara: Salem Ghandour
Abstrak:
Can a new Islamic State succeed? To tackle this question, one has to look at what the traditional IslamicState was and why it worked so well for so many centuries until itultimately collapsed. Only then can one understand why the idea is sopopular today. Most importantly, one should be able to identify themajor challenges that will face the new Islamic State.
In a first part, I will highlight that the quasi-total absence ofpolitical justice in the modern Muslim states to establish themselves aslegal states in the twin senses of being justified by law and governingthrough it. Such structural failures help explain the surprisingrenaissance of Islam not only as faith but a powerful political force.
The call for an Islamic State is therefore first and foremost a callfor law: a legal state that would be justified by law and govern throughit. Indeed, it was the abandonment of law as an organizing politicalforce that doomed the old Islamic empires.
Finally, the greatest challenge facing a new Islamic State is aboutidentifying who is in charge of specifying the meaning of Sharia and bywhat authority. In the old Islamic State, it was the scholars, and theirauthority derived from the Sharia itself. But who is it to be now?Indeed, if Islamists take the reins of government but cannot manage toinstitutionalize the balance of powers and restore the rule of law, weare all in for a rough ride.
For now, the Islamist promise of the rule of law offers the onlyprospect for meaningful political justice for many Muslims. It it too,fails, the alternative could be much worse.
Sekilas tentang Pembicara:
SALEM GHANDOUR, 24, born of Syrian/French/ American parents in France,attended international schools (elementary through high school)developing fluency in Arabic, English and French as well assemi-proficiency in German and Spanish. Insistent on keeping his Syrianroots alive and aware of a widening gap between Islam and West, Salemdecided he should leverage his faith, linguistics and multi-culturalismto void the increasing problems between the latter civilizations. Heenrolled in general studies in Political Science in France beforetransferring to the USA, the University of Michigan, to pursuediplomatic studies specializing in Political Science, Near EasternStudies and Energy Policy. In 2005, Salem was selected by the USDepartment of State Eurasian Bureau (Washington, D.C.) as DiplomaticIntern at the US Embassy in Paris working on Public Diplomacy issues aswell as working with the Cultural Affairs section.
In 2007, in anothernomination by Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy KarenHughes, Salem was invited to tour Malaysia and Indonesia part of theCitizen Dialog Program aiming to dispel myths, stereotypes about Islamin America as well as American Foreign Policy. Salem is now a USDepartment of State Fulbright Fellow in Malaysia studying theenvironmental and social impact of converting Palm Oil to Biodiesel.Salem will also be focusing on drawing from the Malaysian economic storyas an exportable model of development for the troubled and impoverishedMiddle East. He is also currently a US Embassy Speaker engaging issuessuch as Islam in America, US Foreign Policy and International Relations.
Salem’s extra-curriculars include Rugby, when in 2007, he was selectedpart of the University of Michigan rugby team. In France, Salem was alsoan avid Judoka, winning twice (respectively Silver and Bonze medals)regional heavyweight championships.
Registrasi:
Forum ini tidak memungut biaya apapun dan terbuka untuk umum.
Contact person:
Elis Z. Anis (ICRS): elis236.andri@yahoo.com,elis@ugm.ac.id; Lina Pary (CRCS): lina_pary@yahoo.com; Mustaghfiroh Rahayu (CRCS): mth.rahayu@gmail.com.
(JMI)
