Ahmet T. Kuru: ISLAM, AUTHORITARIANISM AND UNDERDEVELOPMENT

Cengiz Günay in conversation with Ahmet T. Kuru
ISLAM, AUTHORITARIANISM AND UNDERDEVELOPMENT
A Global and Historical Comparison
Why are Muslim-majority countries often associated with authoritarianism and underdevelopment? Ahmet T. Kuru delves into this question, challenging conventional explanations and uncovering fascinating historical insights.
Kuru argues that the roots of today’s challenges lie not in Islam itself nor in Western colonialism, but in a pivotal shift during the 11th century. The alliance between orthodox Islamic scholars (ulema) and military rulers marginalized intellectuals and economic innovators, stifling creativity and progress-a legacy that still shapes politics and development in Muslim societies.
Ahmet T. Kuru, Director of the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies and Professor of Political Science at San Diego State University. Kuru is the author of Secularism and State Policies toward Religion: The United States, France, and Turkey (Cambridge University Press, 2009). He is also the co-editor (with Alfred Stepan) of Democracy, Islam, and Secularism in Turkey (Columbia University Press, 2012). His recent book, Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment: A Global and Historical Comparison (Cambridge University Press, 2019) won academic awards and was included in Times Literary Supplement’s Books of the Year. It has been translated into thirteen languages, most recently into German by Springer VS.
Cengiz Günay, Director of the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip), lecturer at the University of Vienna. His research focuses on Turkey and the MENA region, author of The History of Turkey and From Islamists to Muslim Democrats?
Recorded at Kreisky Forum on January 27, 2025
Technical production: Milan Loewy