The Idea
The phrase presents contemporary Islamic societies as a field suitable for the work of the social sciences, not as a fixed object outside scrutiny. The idea here is that these societies can be read like any other society in terms of structures, transformations, and tensions. They are thus not reduced to general judgments, but understood through observation, analysis, and close attention to the changes taking place within them.
Condensed Formulation
Contemporary Islamic societies are suitable as a laboratory for the social sciences
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This idea occupies an important place in the book’s argument because it shifts the gaze from normative discourse to analytical study. The book appears concerned with establishing an understanding of Islamic society on the basis of social research, not on the basis of impressions or generalizations. Hence the value of describing it as a laboratory: a space in which social questions appear clearly and invite comparative examination.
Why It Matters
This idea helps explain Arkoun’s tendency to subject assumptions to scrutiny rather than merely affirm them. It also shows that his concern is not limited to abstract ideas, but extends to the conditions under which they take shape within society. The importance here, then, lies not only in describing society, but in making it a field for more precise knowledge and fewer preconceptions.
Brief Evidence
This phrase presents contemporary Islamic societies as a field suitable for the work of the social sciences, not as a fixed object outside scrutiny. They are read like other societies in terms of structures, transformations, and tensions. Therefore, they are not reduced to general judgments, but understood through observation, analysis, and close attention to the changes taking place within them.
Reading Questions
- What does it mean to regard society as a field for inquiry rather than as an object of judgment?
- How does this description change the way transformations within Islamic societies are read?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.