The Islamic Paradigm of Nations: Toward a Neo-Classical Approach

Authors

Amr G.E. Sabet

Abstract

Excerpt

As late as 1966, Martin Wight could still pose the question: “why is there no international relations theory?” By this he meant the absence of a tradition of speculation about relations between states, family of nations, or the international community, comparable to that of political theory as speculation about the state. To the extent that it did exist, it was marked by “intellectual and moral poverty” caused both by the prejudice imposed by the sovereign state and the belief in progress (Wight 1995: 15-16 &19). Unlike political theory, which has been progressivist in its concern with pursuing interests of state as “theory of the good life”, international politics as the “theory of survival” constituted the “realm of recurrence and repetition” (Wight 1995: 25 & 32). Essentially, therefore, it had nothing new to offer.

Author Bio(s)

Amr G. E. Sabet is the visiting Docent at the Department of Social Sciences, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden, on a grant offered by The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Studies (STINT).

Keywords

Abdel-Rahman bin Khaldun (1332-1406 AD), assabiyya (social solidarity), Divine Law (Shari’ah), international relations theory, neo-classical Islamic framework

Publication Date

11-2001

DOI

10.46743/1082-7307/2001.1017

Recommended Citation

Sabet, Amr G.E. (2001) "The Islamic Paradigm of Nations: Toward a Neo-Classical Approach," Peace and Conflict Studies: Vol. 8: No. 2, Article 3.
DOI: 10.46743/1082-7307/2001.1017
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/pcs/vol8/iss2/3