The Paths of Islamism in Contemporary Islam: A Theoretical Re-Analysis

Abstract

This article analyzes the complex relationship between Islam and the West. Through the various authors who have made important contributions on the subject we will try to retrace the most important theoretical steps that are at the basis of the relationship between Islam and the West. It starts from the alleged clash of civilizations to understand how the idea of the enemy is often inherent in this relationship and how the irreducible Islam politicity caraterizes a certain tendency towards Islamism of which Salafism is the highest representative. Violence and terrorism find space in this drift; for relevant sectors of Islam, the world jihad is an essential necessity.