GLOBALIZATION AND ISLAMIC MOVEMENTS: A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY

Abstract

Usually the question of globalization is linked to issues relating to economic, instrumental-technical (the so-called information-communication technology or for short ICT) and culture and never to Islamic movements. However, the Post September 11, 2001 incident, there are writings in the West that try to relate globalization to Islamic movements'. In this case, globalization is seen as facilitating Islamic movements to be more militant in their postures especially in relation to the United States as a great power. In actual fact, Islamic movements' responses to the United States are varied in the sense that not all Islamic movements show sign of drawing towards militancy. In general it can be argued that Islamic movements' rather critical and radical attitudes toward the United States is basically a reaction to the exploitative nature of Capitalism whereby its hegemonic power is maximized to the fullest, facilitated, mainly by forces of globalization. In this sense, globalization is synonymous with Americanization or its more cynical version, MacDonaldlization.