Contrasting visions and purposes of Muslim unity: Pan-Islamism(s) and Muslim political activism in Interwar Europe

Muslim presence in Europe during the interwar period has been mostly dealt with as part of Middle-Eastern or Asian history, colonial studies, military history or simply as related to European migration history. Such narratives provide an incomplete and fragmented perspective of Muslim historical and cultural accounts in Europe by ignoring a huge amount of literature which can reshape our understanding of Muslim politics in the land of the colonisers. The entangled characteristic of Muslim activities represents a somewhat newer line of inquiry- the ways in which their development was conditioned by interaction and transcultural contacts within the 'West'- including the study of Muslim political activism. This approach is linked with a contemporary historiographical trend toward the study of cultural transfers, transnational history and histoire croisée; which has the potential to advance our understanding and fill in the existing gaps relating to previous but also current developments in/of Islam: its followers, its 'struggles' and its 'use'. The project will place the transnational and transcultural pan-Islamic movements on the European scene and between European governments, political movements and key events in history. The project hypothesizes three forms of colonial resistance that were on the one hand consistent with the idea of pan-Islamism, but distinguishable by some decisive traits on the other: 1."loyality" to the empire; 2."revolutionary" (even violent) activism; and 3.struggle through "compliance" with the interwar 'western' imposed international setting that included political, legal, religious and social implications to European history itself. Muslim political elites chose Switzerland, Britain and France as centres for religio-political engagement. Nevertheless it was Germany that offered the most opportunities and ties to perform. Similarly important are the strong connections to European socialist and anti-imperialist factions (French and Spanish above all).Situating it within the temporal and spatial dimension of its existence in the 'West' is crucial for understanding the chain of reactions to significant events both within Europe and the Muslim world. They are recorded above all in activist intellectual writings (papers, journals, diaries etc). If this premise proved true, this approach is expected to lead to a rather accurate characterization of the movement, its development, relations to other players/ ideologies, political fluctuations, of the individuals involved and ultimately its impact on both Muslim and European political fronts. The study tries to uncover the manner in which Muslim activists sought to achieve their aims, what kinds of support they acquired, and how far their networks and influences stretched. By answering such questions we can highlight a clearer understanding of the evolution of pan-Islamism and its moulding to fit the necessities of the time and struggle.

Publication year:2020

Accessibility:Embargoed