New culturally identity political movements in different cultural contexts

Research Question: This study aims to explore that how Jamā‘at-e-Islāmī, a political-religious party in Pakistan has emerged and evolved as a New Cultural Identitarian Political Movements (NCIPM) in Pakistan.

New Cultural Identitarian Political Movements (NCIPM) is a theory expounded by Prof. Hartmut Elsenhans in the mid-1990s in which he argues that changes in recent politico-economic conditions at the global and local level has led to the decline of the secular elites. This study also tries to comparatively analyze Jamā‘at-e-Islāmī as NCIPM and its political, cultural, economic and social dynamics with an Indian political party BJP (Bahartia Jinta Party). In this regard, field study about NCIPM has been conducted accordingly. The Jamā‘at-e-Islāmī is seen here as one of the most important representatives of the emerging movements as New Cultural Identitarian Political Movements (NCIPM). This study analyzes Jamat-i-Islami in the light of NCIPM and argues that how Jamat-e-Islami has emerged as a new political power on a local, regional and global context. Jamat-i-Islami is a political party with cultural and religious guild, whose political activities are based on culture and religion. Therefore, it is not rational to view it only in a political category, but rather this party represents itself with having cultural and religious identification. JI will be compared to Bahartiya Janta Party (BJP), Nationalist Hindu Political Party in India because BJP which also represents religious and cultural identity and has been categorized as NCIPM. This research will also find out the socio-political conditions which led to the emergence of New Cultural Identitarian Political Movements (NCIPM) with reference to popularity of Jamā‘at-e-Islāmī in Pakistan and its comparison to that of BJP in India.

The subject of the investigation should be the following social phenomena:

The new political movements in Pakistan; Which are there and what are their goals? Which new phenomena are to be investigated in their development? What are the expectations of them as new political actors? What is the decisive connection between these new political forces and the expansion/broadening of the middle classes in society? Why can't “Jamaat-i-Islami” exercise a similar function in Pakistan as the BJP in India? In the representation of these new movements and forces, I would like to discuss predominantly

• The range of religious groups recorded (from fundamentalist, extremist up to moderate Islamic powers);

• Examines traditional forces from a cultural anthropological point of view as well modern forces often referred to as “westernized”.

Theoretical Framework

This theoretical framework for this study was originally developed by Hartmut Elsenhans in the mid-1990s in which he argues that new changing politico-economic conditions at the global and the local level has led to the decline of the secular elites. He further explains that we are going towards a world of diverse cultural identities incorporated by powers that defend their sovereignty, but will not clash, as they are both involved and engaged in maintaining the emerging multipolar system. Sebastian Schwecke analyzed this theory through an intercultural and comparative theoretical approach across Asia and Africa. He analyses the rise and moderation of political movements in developing societies which mobilize popular support with references to conceptions of cultural identity. He includes not only the Hindu nationalist movement but also many Islamist political movements into a single category–New Cultural Identitarian Political Movements (NCIPM). In addition, Prof. Rachid Ouaissa has also focused NCIPM, and in this regard he argues that "These movements are a response to the failure of the post-colonial, secularist models." Moreover, other theories like Political Islam, democratization, secularism and modernism, moderation, fundamentalism and Social Movement are also used to strengthen the theoretical framework. Object This scientific study is focused on a religious-political party “Jamaat-i-Islami”, which is not currently in power but is recognized by the general public in Pakistan. Jamaate-i-Islami was organized as a party out of religious fundamentalists and Islamists. In addition to the religious legal scholars and the modern jurists, they represent an ideological current in which a modern interpretation of Islam by political leaders of the party takes the place of the religious consensus of the Scholars and the constitutional consensus of the bourgeois jurists. Analysis of the development of this party leads to the establishment of its social roots in the current middle classes of Pakistani society. In many ways this new party can be compared to the development of the BJP in India, which has also been examined.

So, my hypothesis is structured as follows: The Jamaat-i Islami (like the BJP in India) can exercise a similar function in Pakistan if that is achieved to the necessary extent. I have to adapt the following 4 points accordingly as the subject of the hypothesis, after which I have carefully examined the source material.

• The strength of the Pakistani state class due to the essential lower shortages of Rent ( Elsenhans Theory);

• The presence of radical, Islamist movements, which in some cases prevents the JI - similar to the BJP in India - from increasingly turning to the economic-political mobilization of voters and thus entering into a gradual process of moderation.

• State institutions have no significant role to play, while the explosively growing middle classes raise political demands across ethnic castes and groups.

• “Undeveloped” democratic structures are a hindrance. In order to go into the further research steps, I would like to pursue (follow) the question of what goals JI is committed to, what role it plays in Pakistani society and could play in the future.

Methodology

I have applied the variables about NCIPM and how these variables influenced the empirical research. In this regard, I have used the methodology of interviews from the people of Pakistan. And the data was collected in the shape of texts and tables. The theories of Prof. Dr. Elsenhans will serve as premise (argument) for the acquisition (achievement) of results of the surveys. Eight variables, which have already been referred in the thesis of Dr. Sebastian Schwccke, have been proposed to test the NCIPM. The outline for the theoretical framework has been taken from the projects Prof. Dr. Elsenham’s. Finally, every variable has been explained in detail to test the NCIPM. Moreover, empirical data based on these surveys will be included.

Theories

Theories related to globalization processes in developing countries, particularly in relation to the Indian subcontinent

• Social Movement

• Globalization: Transformation of the character of word economy

• Modernization theories

• Nationalism

• Islamic state

• Political Islam

• Democratization theory of developing countries

Question and Answer Session

Q. Why comparison with BJP in India?

Ans. It is interesting to compare both in the category of NCIPM. The two movements Jamaat-e-Islami from Pakistan and BJP from India have same political, economic and social circumstances to some extent. However, the fate of these two movements are different where it comes to the power politics because BJP got the opportunity to grow in a more democratic atmosphere, he two movements Jamaat-e-Islami from Pakistan and BJP from India have same political, economic and social circumstances to some extent. However, the fate of these two movements are different where it comes to the power politics because BJP got the opportunity to grow in a more democratic atmosphere.

Q. Why variables of Sabastian?

Ans. I chose to measure the variables of Sabastian because he has tested already BJP on the same parameters which I am interested in JI.

Q. Why did you select NCIPM to work on?

Ans. First of all, I was the student of Prof. Elsenhans and sent him my proposal to him regarding JI as proving it a case of his ongoing research Project NCIPM and he approved it happily. Secondly, as many religio-political and nationalist parties are getting momentum in the different part of the world as I already mentioned about BJP in India, Brotherhood in Egypt etc. and therefore I got interested into the emerging and popular party JI, flourishing on the same rhetoric and slogans and it appealed me to much as research topic.

Q. Location

Ans. Lahore, Gujaranwala Social Theory In my ongoing chapter 6, I am attempting to apply social movement theory to the Jamaat-e-Islami. JI remained a social movement as it never accepted itself to be of the system. On the one hand the JI, according to the French scholar Frederic Grare, was initially a social movement, then became a pressure group and finally became a political party. This is because he believes that when the Jamaat refrained from recognizing the system of government from the years 1941-47, it was typical of a social movement; when it decided to work with the government to gets its demands implemented it became a pressure group; finally, when it decided to take part in electoral politics in 1957 it became a political party.

According to his framework, it may only be plausible to apply social movement theory to the first seven years of its existence. However, I would consider the Jamaat as a social movement throughout its years of existence. This is because I am considering the Jamaat in the tradition of the political Islam social movements which have been described by scholars as social movements even if they have taken part in government. For example, although the Hezbollah has taken part in elections as a party, it is still regarded as a social movement by scholars like Ziad Munson(2009), Kepel(1993) and other scholars in the field. Similarly, the Muslim Brotherhood has taken part in electoral politics by having part members run as independent candidates in the elections.” A social movement may be defined as according to Brannan “deliberate patterns of contentious actions committed by groups whose members are working toward the same broadly defined goal” ( 2009, 1).

Social movements are different from political parties since movements are usually focused on a single issue and they have no interest in attaining office in government. And a political movement is generally an informal organization and uses unconventional methods to achieve their goals. Regarding Jamaʿat-i Islami, it was initially established as a movement or pressure group to reform society with one-point agenda in accordance with the faith and drew its inspiration from the model of Islamic state but later turned into political party. However, it is also argued that JI could have better performed as social movement and should have not entered in political arena. Social Movement theory points towards JI’s failure in electoral system and forming government in spite of well-established and rooted in public because the decision of the JI to enter politics may be regarded as a huge mistake. As Doug McAdam (1982) theorizes that any social movement that enters party politics is not able to achieve its main goals because it has to make compromises in the political process. When the JI entered its aim diverted to work for the establishment of an Islamic government in Pakistan; hence it zeroed in on bringing about political change along Islamic lines. From then on, politics received preference over social and intellectual reforms.