The Idea
Arkoun sees the image of Islam in the public sphere as not formed by accurate knowledge alone, but by reciprocal images amplified by the media and political debate. In these images, Islam is reduced to fundamentalism or Islamism, so that it appears to be a single, rigid block, whereas in reality it is far more diverse and complex than such a reduction.
Concise Formulation
The media shared imaginary: it amplifies Islam and reduces it to fundamentalism or Islamism
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim lies at the heart of Arkoun’s critique of the way Islam is represented in the West and in the opposing discourse within the Islamic world. He is not discussing Islam as a religion only, but also the manner in which its presence is shaped in public consciousness. The claim therefore serves a broader argument: that mutual misunderstanding creates a double problem—distorting the image from the outside and narrowing it from within.
Why It Matters
The importance of this claim lies in showing that the crisis of understanding is not confined to the religious ideas themselves, but extends to the language through which Islam is presented to people. Through it, we understand why Arkoun insists on critique rather than repetition, and on deconstruction rather than acceptance of ready-made images.
Brief Evidence
This passage points to the fact that the image of Islam in the public sphere is formed not by accurate knowledge alone, but by reciprocal images amplified by the media and political debate. Within this shared imaginary, Islam is sometimes reduced to fundamentalism or Islamism, so that it appears as a single, rigid block. The point here, however, is to emphasize that Islam is more diverse and complex than such a reduction.
Reading Questions
- How does the concept of the shared imaginary change the way the book’s image of Islam is read?
- Is Arkoun criticizing Islam itself, or criticizing the way it is depicted in the public sphere?
Documentation Level
High: the claim appears in a clear place in the book’s material.