Experts Call for Intellectual Dialogue to Counter Islamist Extremism

At the Fourth Annual Forum on Political Islam in Abu Dhabi, researchers emphasized the need for intellectual dialogue and multi-dimensional approaches to understand and combat Islamist extremism by addressing its ideological underpinnings.

The Fourth Annual Forum on Political Islam, held in Abu Dhabi and hosted by TRENDS Research and Advisory, shed light on the complexities of Islamist extremism, emphasizing the need to address the ideological foundations of political Islam. The event, themed 'The Muslim Brotherhood and Violence,' featured an esteemed panel of international researchers and experts.

Eighteen scholars from diverse nations, including the UAE, France, Morocco, Tunisia, Germany, and Canada, called for a comprehensive intellectual dialogue between the Western and Arab worlds. The forum condemned terrorism unequivocally, urging the rejection of double standards in its examination and underscoring that terrorism should not be tied to any particular religion or nationality.

The discussions highlighted the importance of preventing the misuse of terrorism as a geopolitical tool. Participants stressed the need for collaboration between Western and Arab academic institutions to better understand and counteract extremist ideologies, advocating for both intellectual and practical strategies to address the ideological justifications for violence effectively.

(With inputs from agencies.)