Political Islam in Contemporary Social and Political Processes in the Arab-Moslem World

The article focuses on the different factors contributing to the rise and development of Political Islam movements, as well as its conceptions and doctrinal directions. The methodology is represented by principles of the historisme, scientific objectivity and authenticity. The study aims at analyzing the attempts of Islamist movements’ leaders to adopt the stance of the “Islamic democracy†which, in their rhetoric, is similar to European “Christian democracy†. The article also examines the role of Political Islam movements that advocate for the “Islamic project†to be established in the social and political development of Muslim society at the present stage. To these ends, the countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, Syria are selected for study. Political Islam movements in these countries have most significantly demonstrated their influence on both electoral processes and socio-political dynamics as a whole. Islamist challenge for Russia is examined. Special attention in the article is paid to prospects for political Islam movements to develop a more receptive stance toward democratic principles grounded in “Islamic democracy†.