The Discourse of Identity in Contemporary Arab Thought

Abstract

In this study, we are examining the concept of identity in modern and contemporary Arab thought, aiming to shed light on the relation between this concept and ideology, as well as to uncover the motivations and underlying issues within this discourse on identity. This discourse reflects a crisis exacerbated by defeats and tragedies, which have fueled a progressive radicalization of the discourse, pushing it toward increasingly closed and rigid positions that reject otherness and disdain difference. 

However, we do not overlook the destructive effects of calls for a liberal identity, which tend to deconstruct civilizations and societies. These discourses downplay the importance of differences among peoples—differences that cannot be denied or ignored—and prioritize the individual at the expense of the collective.