How Muslim clerics turn jihadist

[Argus Panoptes]

This article points out a potentially important reason for rising religious extremism. Can simple socioeconomics trump religious beliefs so easily?

Islamist extremism: Green glass ceilings | The Economist

Green glass ceilings
How Muslim clerics turn jihadist
Mar 16th 2013 | BEIRUT |From the print edition

WHY pious and peaceable Muslims turn to ultraconservative and even violent versions of the faith is a subject of great interest for scholars and policymakers. But so far little effort has gone on studying the radicalisation of the clergy.

Now Rich Nielsen of Harvard University has examined the books, fatwas (religious rulings) and biographies of 91 modern Salafi clerics, as well as of 379 of their students and teachers. He found that the main factors behind radicalism are not poverty or the ideology of their teachers (as might be assumed) but the poor quality of their academic and educational networks.

Such contacts determined the clerics’ ability to get a good job as imam or teacher in state institutions. In Saudi Arabia and Egypt, where most of the 91 came from, the government has long co-opted religious institutions. Those who failed to land a job were more likely to avow violence as a tool for political change.

The figures are startling. Clerics with the best academic connections had a 2-3% chance of becoming jihadist. This rose to 50% for the badly networked.

Mr Nielsen reckons he has proved causation by controlling for other factors—eliminating the chance that those more inclined to extremism shun state jobs, for example. “It’s about a glass ceiling,” he says. “Clerics who don’t get positions must compete to appeal to an audience. Jihadist views are a way of making themselves appear credible, since there is often a high cost associated with it, such as prison time.”

His research may help those seeking to stem the rise of radical preachers. Rather than spending a fortune snooping on them and then jailing them, it would be cheaper to offer them a decent job.

 

[OrionHunter]

Not only that. It's now become fashionable to be seen as a Jehadi mullah. Like Hafiz Saeed. They think religious extremism gives them immense power over other lesser souls. A shortcut to popularity and to be seen as an awe inspiring figure. The sheeple just follow their propaganda and brainwashing, swelling the ranks of the gullible, and morphing into an army of the 'pure'.

 

[Argus Panoptes]

@Awesome, @muse, and any others: Any comments or thoughts, please?

 

[Mard]

These mullahs need basics of Islam, they are just violent thugs, nothing else.

 

[muse]

@Awesome, @muse, and any others: Any comments or thoughts, please?

Seems to me , and I am not familiar with the study - though it appears fascinating - four related ideas come to mind and I hope you will find merit in them, one is the professionalization of the so called Muslim cleric, recall, that in Islam there was never before such a position, a "scholar" was always a "part timer" in that he made a living not through Islam (mongering), but through a trade and/or art (also Google "Making of the Modern Maulvi" for greater detail) - and so once Islamism, which is the making of Islam as a political utility (or weaponization of Islam) as a vehicle of social and economic (and therefore political) mobility for clerics (think Iran, think Arabia, think religious Parties in Pakistan, or the Ikhwan in Egypt, or Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria), and thirdly the creation of the concept of Jihad as another pillar of Islam (think of works such as "Neglected Obligation") and it's glorification, and it's use as a tool to coerce liberal and authoritarian politics and societies and so it seems to me, that those who were attracted to clerical calling in the hope of social mobility, finding that mobility distant in "traditional" venues have sought it through non-traditional venues ---- however, I do think it's interesting that this dissonance is expressed not against the "traditional venues and authorities" in the clerical realm.

 

[Argus Panoptes]

Seems to me , and I am not familiar with the study - though it appears fascinating - four related ideas come to mind and I hope you will find merit in them, one is the professionalization of the so called Muslim cleric, recall, that in Islam there was never before such a position, a "scholar" was always a "part timer" in that he made a living not through Islam (mongering), but through a trade and/or art (also Google "Making of the Modern Maulvi" for greater detail) - and so once Islamism, which is the making of Islam as a political utility (or weaponization of Islam) as a vehicle of social and economic (and therefore political) mobility for clerics (think Iran, think Arabia, think religious Parties in Pakistan, or the Ikhwan in Egypt, or Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria), and thirdly the creation of the concept of Jihad as another pillar of Islam (think of works such as "Neglected Obligation") and it's glorification, and it's use as a tool to coerce liberal and authoritarian politics and societies and so it seems to me, that those who were attracted to clerical calling in the hope of social mobility, finding that mobility distant in "traditional" venues have sought it through non-traditional venues ---- however, I do think it's interesting that this dissonance is expressed not against the "traditional venues and authorities" in the clerical realm.

Are you referring to this series by the Express Tribune:

The making of the modern maulvi

The making of the modern maulvi

The making of the modern maulvi

that was discussed in this thread on PDF:

http://www.defence.pk/forums/social-issues-current-events/125762-making-modern-maulvi-i.html

=====================

I appreciate your views, but I think the gist of Nielsen's work is simply to point out that providing clerics with reasonable economic options may be a potent tool in moderating their views.

 

[muse]

Are you referring to this series by the Express Tribune:

The making of the modern maulvi

The making of the modern maulvi

The making of the modern maulvi

that was discussed in this thread on PDF:

http://www.defence.pk/forums/social-issues-current-events/125762-making-modern-maulvi-i.html

=====================

I appreciate your views, but I think the gist of Nielsen's work is simply to point out that providing clerics with reasonable economic options may be a potent tool in moderating their views.

Yes but why would they give up power and wealth just for a job?? -- An entirely new professional group has sprung up, unlike any other - think that one over, and the suggestion that they may be brought out for a "reasonable" amount of money, is kinda missing the point

 

[Argus Panoptes]

Yes but why would they give up power and wealth just for a job?? -- An entirely new professional group has sprung up, unlike any other - think that one over, and the suggestion that they may be brought out for a "reasonable" amount of money, is kinda missing the point

Actually, if you think about it, they may try for power and wealth, but not many achieve those. And the work quoted shows that they may be easier bought with reasonable amounts of financial security and a modicum of government patronage.

Religion has always been big business - witness the Catholic Church - and like all businesses it can be manipulated through financial inducements.

 

[Amaa'n]

@muse but don't they get millions in donation and charity money already? what would a job do to them, or is related to Power and Authority? like they want to have authority over the local community ?

 

[Sinnerman108]

Yes but why would they give up power and wealth just for a job?? -- An entirely new professional group has sprung up, unlike any other - think that one over, and the suggestion that they may be brought out for a "reasonable" amount of money, is kinda missing the point

This may be linked to the discussion we had in another thread.

Your take was that we lost confidence in ourselves ... ??

 

[Rusty]

so basically instead of looking at the root cause of the problem, we are blaming the symptoms.

Every country has crazies, but why do developed countries have them under control?
Well duh, because those countries have functioning societies where people have the ability to get an education, get a job and move up the social ladder.

Instead of blaming the symptoms why don't we blame the politicians who spend almost nothing on education, who have destroyed the economy and who have created a corrupt government where justice is linked to money.

Once we get a functional society, 90% of this problem will be solved.

But, just like in movies, people want a boogyman, a person who they can blame all their problems on, a person who they can point at and say "I don't have to do anything, he is the problem"

 

[illusion8]

so basically instead of looking at the root cause of the problem, we are blaming the symptoms.

Every country has crazies, but why do developed countries have them under control?
Well duh, because those countries have functioning societies where people have the ability to get an education, get a job and move up the social ladder.

Instead of blaming the symptoms why don't we blame the politicians who spend almost nothing on education, who have destroyed the economy and who have created a corrupt government where justice is linked to money.

Once we get a functional society, 90% of this problem will be solved.

But, just like in movies, people want a boogyman, a person who they can blame all their problems on, a person who they can point at and say "I don't have to do anything, he is the problem"

You need someone cunning who keeps all the crazies happy while all the time building up society - a better educated society will itself take care of the fundamentalists.

 

[Rusty]

You need someone cunning who keeps all the crazies happy while all the time building up society - a better educated society will itself take care of the fundamentalists.

Not even.
All you have to do is make school mandatory for all kids.
In less than 20 years all these uneducated preachers will have lost their power.
These people are not some kind of super genius super villains.
They are a product of a dysfunctional society.
Every single Pakistani is also at blame for their existence and we can easily get rid of them by simply having a functional society.

 

[Argus Panoptes]

Not even.
All you have to do is make school mandatory for all kids.
In less than 20 years all these uneducated preachers will have lost their power.
These people are not some kind of super genius super villains.
They are a product of a dysfunctional society.
Every single Pakistani is also at blame for their existence and we can easily get rid of them by simply having a functional society.

Making school "mandatory" will not make actual functioning schools with good teachers appear magically. It takes decades of effort and money to set up a good education system.

 

[muse]

Friends seem to miss be missing the forest for the trees - the larger development is the creation of an ideology, a support structure for the that ideology and the creation of cadre for the promotion of that ideology -- an ideology, support structure and cadre, that is a new development within thought under the general rubric of "Islamic" -- this is a novel, even revolutionary development - it's now up to ordinary Muslims to decide whether they will opt for this new ideology and this revolutionary novelty.