Islamism in Mauritania and the narrative of political moderation

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Periodical article

Title:	Islamism in Mauritania and the narrative of political moderation
Authors:	Cavatorta, Francesco Ojeda García, Raquel
Year:	2017
Periodical:	Journal of Modern African Studies (ISSN 0022-278X)
Volume:	55
Issue:	2
Pages:	301-325
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Mauritania
Subjects:	Islamic movements politics
External link:	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022278X17000039
Abstract:	The rise of Islamism following the Arab Spring has renewed interest in the democratic credibility of Islamist parties and movements. Focusing on the case of Mauritania's Islamists this article analyses the validity of the moderation hypothesis and argues that for some Islamist parties, moderation, when historically situated, has always been a key trait. The case of Mauritanian Islamism is interesting because it takes place within an intellectual and geographical place that straddles both the Arab world and sub-Saharan Africa, therefore providing insights on how Islamism has become an influential ideological framework in both worlds, that are much less separate than superficially believed.