Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue
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Introduction
Box 1.4
ADialogueforResults
John L. Esposito
John L. Esposito is University Professor <strong>and</strong> Founding Director of <strong>the</strong> Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for
Muslim-Christian Underst<strong>and</strong>ing at Georgetown University. He is <strong>the</strong> author of many books on <strong>Islam</strong> including,
most recently, Who Speaks for <strong>Islam</strong>? What a Billion Muslims Really Think.
Muslims <strong>and</strong> Christians have engaged in dialogues for several decades. Post-9/11 <strong>the</strong> UN, World Economic Forum,
OIC (Organization of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islam</strong>ic Conference) <strong>and</strong> many governments have been conducting interreligious <strong>and</strong> intercivilizational
dialogues globally. Such attention signals a new, more comprehensive role for religion in international
affairs: in war <strong>and</strong> peace, democratization, civil society, educational <strong>and</strong> economic development.
As <strong>the</strong> stakes for interreligious underst<strong>and</strong>ing rise, it’s crucially important to focus our dialogues by asking: How can
we better target <strong>the</strong> problems? What resources do we need to address <strong>the</strong>m? What strategies can get results?
Peter Berger, one of <strong>the</strong> “fa<strong>the</strong>rs” of secularization <strong>the</strong>ory, has observed: “We made a category mistake. We thought
that <strong>the</strong> relationship was between modernization <strong>and</strong> secularization. In fact it was between modernization <strong>and</strong> pluralism.”
Ironically, in a world of globalization when pluralism <strong>and</strong> tolerance have never been more important, hegemonic <strong>and</strong>
exclusivist ideologies <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ologies are ascendant.
Appealing to religion (al-Qaeda) or denigrating it (<strong>the</strong> Danish cartoons) has become a way to express or legitimate
grievances. However, “preachers of hate” – Muslim <strong>and</strong> non-Muslim, from <strong>the</strong> political <strong>and</strong> religious far right – are as
motivated by identity politics, anti-immigrant policies <strong>and</strong> socioeconomic conditions as by <strong>the</strong>ology. Threats to national
identity <strong>and</strong> security in <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>and</strong> political grievances in <strong>the</strong> Muslim world are primary catalysts.
To respond to <strong>the</strong>ir charges <strong>and</strong> build bridges of underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong> respect, we need more effective terminology <strong>and</strong>
more powerful counter narratives. Phrases such as “Muslim world <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>”, “<strong>West</strong>-<strong>Islam</strong>ic”, like <strong>the</strong>ir counterpart –
“clash of civilizations” – fail to adequately reflect a complex, multifaceted reality that is political <strong>and</strong> economic as much
as it is religious or cultural.
They fail to counter <strong>the</strong> growth of <strong>Islam</strong>ophobia <strong>and</strong> concepts such as <strong>Islam</strong>ofascism that say so much <strong>and</strong> do so much
harm. Once respectable terms such as “tolerance” need to be replaced or transformed from <strong>the</strong> notion of “sufferance”
or “endurance” of “<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r” <strong>and</strong> reinforced by terms that promote mutual underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong> equal respect.
There is a culture war out <strong>the</strong>re. The forces of bigotry <strong>and</strong> confrontation have powerful resources <strong>and</strong> access. The driving
force behind all initiatives has to be <strong>the</strong> belief that actions really do speak louder than words. Therefore, <strong>the</strong> challenge
to all joint statements issued by religious or political leaders will be <strong>the</strong> question: So what? How are statements linked
to action plans that penetrate <strong>the</strong> fabric of our societies?
Conferences <strong>and</strong> interreligious <strong>and</strong> inter-civilizational dialogues remain important, but so too are programmes training
foreign service officers, teachers <strong>and</strong> clergy, as well as <strong>the</strong> next generation. Popular culture initiatives: movies, TV
programmes <strong>and</strong> music promoting <strong>and</strong> reinforcing religious <strong>and</strong> cultural pluralism also remain critical. The power of
media which tends to feature bad news (conflict <strong>and</strong> controversy) can also be used to demonstrate <strong>the</strong> positive realities
of <strong>the</strong> mainstream. Workshops should be offered for local newspaper reporters who influence <strong>the</strong> general public.
Prominent media moguls need to be reached by equally prominent leaders who challenge <strong>the</strong>ir content <strong>and</strong> promote
more balanced coverage.
The Internet has become a major tool for information or misinformation as well as diatribe by militant anti-Muslim <strong>and</strong>
anti-<strong>West</strong>ern websites <strong>and</strong> blogs. A <strong>West</strong>-<strong>Islam</strong>ic blog is needed that tracks, reports on <strong>and</strong> responds to <strong>the</strong> anti-religious,
racist <strong>and</strong> anti-immigrant hate speech on both sides.
For those who think this is just a wish list or an insurmountable challenge, <strong>the</strong> sobering reality is that preachers of hate
already have <strong>the</strong> financial <strong>and</strong> human resources – <strong>the</strong> websites, media access <strong>and</strong> political commentators. So what’s
our choice?