Demograficzny wymiar konfliktu izraelsko-palestyńskiego

Author(s): Marcin Szydzisz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2014

This article is an attempt to show the impact of demographic processes on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The author characterized and described the demographic processes occurring in both communities. The study highlighs the importance of increasing proportion of non-Jewish citizens of Israel. A demand to recognize Israel as a Jewish state has been analysed. The article also describes a proposal to resolve the conflict through the creation of one state for two nations. The author also shows how demographics will affect relations between the two communities in the future.

Tomasz Andrzej Tupalski, Fundamentalizm islamski w Egipcie XIX i XX wieku

Author(s): Dariusz Wybranowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2013

Polityka zagraniczna Egiptu pod rządami Partii Wolności i Sprawiedliwości

Author(s): Maciej Tumulec / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2013

The article presents the most important aspects of the new foreign policy of Egypt after the fall of President Hosni Mubarak and the impact of the Arab Spring on the attitude of Egypt in the region after coming to power Freedom and Justice Party (associated with the Muslim Brotherhood). The author stresses the importance of several factors, primarily the permanent impact of the army on the current policies and problems associated with social transformation, which also affected the creation of new foreign policy of the Egyptian state. A short period of rule of the Freedom and Justice Party was characterized in foreign policy area by a profound dissonance between the officially declared objectives and reality. A striking example of this policy was Egyptian approach to the Palestinian issue. Lack of strong leadership and domestic policy mistakes quickly began to adversely affect the activity of Egypt in the international arena. For the United States, the current most important ally of Egypt, key issue was the fulfillment by the new authorities provisions of Camp David Accords and maintain alliance, especially in matters of military cooperation. Therefore, the Egyptian-Iranian rapprochement soon after coming to power President Morsy was regarded as a dangerous precedent, and to some extent a threat to the existing status quo in the Middle East. Egypt also changed alliances with Arab Gulf states – the choice of new partners was dictated by ideological closeness and willingness to break with Mubarak allies. The paper shows also the greatest failures in the international arena of “new Egypt,” among them: 1) the severance of diplomatic relations with Syria and the self-exclusion as a mediator in the Syrian conflict; 2) an unsuccessful attempt to join the BRICS group; 3) failure in Ethiopian-Egyptian dispute overaccessto the Nile resources. The author states that within two years period of Freedom and Justice Party rule the international position of Egypt has been further eroded, which was mainly caused by fatal economic situation of the state and the need to seek new sources of funding in the world.

Tragedia bliskowschodnich chrześcijan – mroczne oblicze Arabskiej Wiosny

Author(s): Jerzy Zdanowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2013

The article refers to the problem of the extinction of Christianity and other religious minorities in the Middle East. This process began in the 19th century in the Balkans and continued with Jews in the Arab countries, Jews and Bahais in Iran, and the Chaldo-Assyrian Christians in Iraq and Syria. The events of 2011 provoked a new wave of anti-Christian feelings in the Arab world with the worst anti-Christian violence against Copts in Egypt. The other question discussed in the article is why the Western press and political elites have ignored or under-reported this persecution.

Boko Haram – od lokalnej sekty do międzynarodowej organizacji terrorystycznej?

Author(s): Mariusz Kusion / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2012

Boko Haram is a jihadist Salafisect which was formed around 2002 in northeastern Nigeria. Since 2010 the sect has rapidly expanded not only its missionary activity but has also brutally attacked Nigerian authorities as well as Christians. Boko Haram is often called the “African (Nigerian) Talibans” because its members insist on an implementation of the Sharia Law all over the country and reject everything which is related to the European culture (democracy, Darwin’s theory, the way of education). As a lot of Muslims perceive the sect as the best solution for Nigerian poverty, the lack of opportunities and incompetent governments, Boko Haram is gaining more and more popularity. There are increasing speculations that Boko Haram is already a serious threat not only in the local or Nigerian dimension but also in the international area because of its alleged links with AlQaeda extremists and al-Shebaab.

Arabska Wiosna w Syrii i jej reperkusje w regionie Bliskiego Wschodu

Author(s): Natalia Bahlawan / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2012

It has been more than a year since the first clashes in Syria started and the situation is subsequently turning into an epicentre of the whole Middle Eastern problems. The events in Syria become the cross of interests of various groups since many crucial, regional issues focus there. Syrian drama goes on two dimensions: internal and external. On the internal basis it is a popular uprising that aims at toppling the repressive regime. Regional consequences of these changes, though, demand revising the contemporary approaches in analysing politcs in the Middle East, in order to take into account new tendencies shaping potentially new power system. The approaches that did not allow to predict or embrace these mass movements leading to the collapse of the main political actors of the Middle East – authoritarian regimes and potential consequences of such events. These common approaches – discourses of understanding the Middle Eastern politics will be presented in the article in order to question and analyse their relevance. Adoption of this critical stance leads to more fruitful cognition of the nature of the on-going changes in the Middle East. Article’s thesis is that the notion of Sunni-Shia rivalry as the main force shaping Arab and Middle Eastern policy is not valid and efficient as an analytical tool. The objective is to emphasise multidimensionality and complexity of forces modelling contemporary Middle East.

Rekonstrukcja Iraku i Syrii jako obszarów pokonfliktowych (2003–2018)

Author(s): Jerzy Zdanowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2018

Post-conflict reconstruction means strengthening state structures in cooperation with the legitimate authorities of that state or building these structures anew in the case of the so-called failed state. The reconstruction of Iraq after 2003 can be seen in both of the above situations and the desired scenario is quite clear and „straight” – stabilization is connected with the need to guarantee equal rights for Sunni and Shia and satisfy the national aspirations of the Kurds. Syria, on the other hand, remains a serious challenge to the theoretical considerations of the reconstruction because it is not a failed state, but its authorities are not treated as unambiguously legitimate by the international community. The reconstruction of Syria means, above all, the necessity of providing the population with basic needs. The change of the political regime from authoritarian to democratic is very desirable, but the example of violent de-baathification in Iraq demonstrates that such a step may result in the marginalization of the Alawits and thus, another conflict. The future of Iraq and Syria depends to a large extent on the will of the external factor, that is, the political will of the great powers conditioned by their interests.

Zróżnicowanie etniczno-religijne ludności a modernizacja społeczno-gospodarcza w krajach Zatoki Perskiej

Author(s): Mustafa Switat / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2011

Bruce K. Rutherford, Egypt after Mubarak. Liberalism, Islam, and Democracy in the Arab World, [Princeton University Press, Princeton–Oxford 2008, 304 s.]

Author(s): Michał Lipa / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2011

Separatyzm islamski w regionie autonomicznym Sinciang-Ujgur

Author(s): Michał Romańczuk / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2018

In the mid-80s. the sepa ratist group, acting individually so far, have joined forces. This move made it clear to the authorities that the PRC are a huge threat pose to the integrity of the Chinese state. One of such organization is the Islamic Movement of Eastern Turkestan. It is an organization of Muslim separatist militants. The aim of the Islamic Movement of Eastern Turkestan is the separation from the PRC and creation of an independent state called East Turkestan. Its area would cover a large part of western China, as well as some regions lying in post-Soviet Central Asia republics. PRC authorities accuse Uighur separatists for the bombing buses, buildings, government institutions, and in public places such as markets, squares.

Palestyńska Władza Narodowa osiem lat po arabskiej wiośnie

Author(s): Krzysztof Bojko / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2018

Despite the hopes of the Palestinians, the outbreak of the Arab Spring, instead of accelerating positive changes, led to a significant deterioration of the situation in the region and in the Palestinian Authority itself. Positive economic processes have been stopped. Successive Israeli military operations devastated the Gaza Strip. The divisions on the West Bank ruled by the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hamas controlling the Gaza Strip deepened. Social sentiment among Palestinians has deteriorated. In view of the emergence of the so-called Islamic State in the region, the international community, in particular the US, lost interest in resolving the Middle Eastern conflict. The moving of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in May 2018, was a blow to the Palestinians. But what’s the worst, is the loss of Israeli trust to the Palestinians, especially the fact that the idea of a two-state solution has been questioned in Israel. The partial success that the Palestinians achieved by obtaining the status of an observer in the United Nations in 2012 does not balance the losses that the 2011–2018 period brought to the Palestinian cause. There are many indications that the Palestinian National Authority is at a crossroad, on the eve of changes that will have to take into account the changes that have taken place in recent years.

Bliskowschodnia strategia Izraela po Arabskiej Wiośnie

Author(s): Artur Skorek / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2018

Social, political and economic changes have taken place both in Israel and the Middle East in the last decade. Also the scope and character of great powers’ engagement in this region have evolved. The aim of this paper is to determine if Israel’s environment transformation from 2011 is significant enough to induce a major change in the Middle Eastern strategy of this state. In the first part, the main new determinants (on national and international level) of the Israeli foreign policy are depicted. In the second part, the key features of this policy in the recent years are analysed. The analysis focuses on: 1. combating threats to the national security, 2. cooperation with the regional actors, 3. reacting and inlfuencing great powers’ actions in the region.

Fuad Jomma, Wpływ podziałów religijnych, narodowych i etnicznych na procesy polityczne w Syrii [Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego, Szczecin 2018, 641 s.]

Author(s): Jerzy Zdanowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2018

Islamizm w polityce Egiptu w okresie monarchii (1922-1952)

Author(s): Jerzy Zdanowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2009

Zachód i islam. Postawy ludzi dwóch światów

Author(s): Andrzej Kapiszewski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2007

Promoting a Peaceful Coexistence: John Paul II and the Middle East

Author(s): Dorota Rudnicka-Kassem / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2005

Democratizing the Arab states. The case of monarchies of the Gulf, 1991-2004

Author(s): Andrzej Kapiszewski / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2004

Historyczne korzenie arabskiego resentymentu wobec Europy

Author(s): Katarzyna Brataniec / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2004

The Place of FinTech Applications in Islamic Finance: A Conceptual Evaluation

Author(s): Sevgi Cengiz,Tuba Özkan / Language(s): English Issue: 60/2023

The fact that digitalization and technology-supported systems, which are among the most basic applications of the 21st century, are an integrated and vital part of our lives, has increased the demand for financial technologies. It is seen that Islamic financial technology (Islamic FinTech) applications have an important place, especially with financial technology (FinTech). In this context, FinTech and Islamic FinTech applications are conceptually included in the study. By referring to the literature studies on these two concepts, the concept of Islamic finance is discussed from a religious perspective. In this study, basic conclusions were obtained that Islamic finance and FinTech concepts/applications are very up to date, their development and critical aspects are obvious, Islamic finance contains uncertainties in terms of jurisprudence, and that more innovation, diversity, breadth, equipment and time are needed in the applications of the Fintech system to meet the needs of Islamic finance applications.

Pozitivní reprezentace muslimů v Kastilii 13. století

Author(s): David De Pablo / Language(s): English Issue: 01/2024

The representations of Muslims in medieval Castile have generally been interpreted under a pejorative connotation, in which Christians identified the other as inferior or as negative (bad, sinful, etc.). However, in this particular case, the 13th-century sources show that, although less frequent, there were also positive representations of the Muslims who inhabited the Iberian Peninsula. This article delves into the creation, purpose, and temporal aspects of representations. It explores the positive applications of these representations and, most importantly, examines how they are articulated within the broader representational framework of the "other." This analysis contributes to theoretical discussions on otherness, specifically addressing whether the manifestation of the other to the self leads to a potential loss of their alterity.