Ayat Tolba
Pronouns: She/Her
Research Mentor(s): Murad Idris
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Political Science / LSA
Program:
Authors:
Session: Session 6: 3:40 pm – 4:30 pm
Poster: 29
Abstract
In our research, we aim to investigate how various anti-colonial movements, particularly those influenced by Islamic ideologies, utilize terms like “jihad” in their struggle against imperialism and colonization. Our focus is primarily on groups such as Islamic Jihad, Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, investigating their use of anti colonial rhetoric The core question of our study is whether the English translations of the rhetoric used by these Islamic groups can be distinctly differentiated from that of non-Muslim, European anti-colonial movements. To explore this, we are conducting an analysis of secondary literature, identifying specific words and phrases related to resistance. Our objective extends to a critical examination of the narratives surrounding these groups. Specifically, we question whether the labeling of these Islamic groups as ‘terrorist’ is influenced predominantly by their Muslim identity. This aspect of our research seeks to understand the interplay between religious identity and the global perception of militant movements, thereby contributing to the discourse on how religion and politics intersect in the context of anti-colonial resistance. We also aim to investigate how Western perspectives may have influenced the interpretation and connotation of Islamic terms, particularly “jihad” and we want to pinpoint when this shift in perception occurred. A key focus is determining whether it was predominantly western media and discourse that labeled certain Islamic groups as “jihadist,” or if these groups initially self-identified with this term.
