Publication

This paper discusses the relationship between Islamist political forces and democratic participation. The author argues that Islamist parties have members who range from those who are very conservative and develop their political positions based on Sharia law to those who are more liberal and promote the practice of ijtihad (the reinterpretation of Islamic law to fit current circumstances). She also argues that Islamist parties are motivated to participate in elections because they have far superior organizational support systems, through mosque networks, than do secular parties. The paper concludes that scholars continue to debate whether Islamist parties moderate their politics to gain political advantage or whether participation in competitive democratizing systems causes them to embrace new positions on core beliefs and values.