Islam and Democratization in Asia By Shiping Hua

separability of Church and State, in my opinion is one of the enduring myths of modernity. This myth rests on the false assumptions of pure politics and pure religion; neither exists in real life. ⁵

All core issues are not only normative in nature but also impinge on individual and collective identities. Neither the conception of the individual self nor the construction of the collective self is free from political or religious considerations. Christianity played a significant role in the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, and Islamists found a way to come to power in secular fundamentalist Turkey. The place of religious symbols in the public sphere, whether it is hijaab (Muslim headscarf) in French public schools or the Ten Commandments in American courts, remains contested primarily because there is no consensus on the exclusion of religion from the public sphere anywhere.

Not only does religion play a role in politics, but politicization of religion is also a common occurrence. The use of the gay marriage issue by Republicans in the 2004 presidential election underscores the continuing political salience of religion in the modern West. I have noticed that often, American politicians try to couch their religious motivations in secular terms while advocating specific policies. A very good example is the unyielding support for Israel and Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza among certain Republican politicians with Christian Evangelical connections. While they support the occupation for biblical reasons, they justify it by arguing that Israel is the “only democracy in the Middle East.” I often wonder if their support for Israel would stop if Israel became less democratic, or if it could be shown that millions of people within Israel's borders do not enjoy basic democratic rights.

In the Muslim world, on the contrary, legitimacy comes from Islam and therefore many politicians justify material motivations using Islamic cover. While religious politicians in the West often use secular discourse for legitimacy, Muslim politicians deliberately Islamize mundane issues for the same reason. Religion in the West lacks legitimacy in the public sphere and must therefore be concealed; in the Muslim world, all legitimacy derives from Islam, hence Islam is used as a justification for politics.