Representation and self-representation of radical Islamism in the UK: Through the mirroring lenses of the political self

This paper aims at examining the practices of representation and selfrepresentation- in relation to ‘radical’ Islamists in the UK- as mirrored into each other and it argues that what is reflected is a fetishism for politics, which deflects the interaction between the two parties and disempowers both. The study is conducted through a ‘collative’ analysis, between the author’s several interviews and personal chats with the leaders and members of parties considered as radical, like Hizbu ut Tahrir, Al Ghurabaa and the Saved Sect, and the articles, the news and the papers produced by several leading media institutions and eminent scholars on the phenomenon of radical Islamism in the UK. My argument is that there is a ‘mirroring effect’ between the essentialized representation of Islam and Islamism proposed by the Culturalist and Orientalist approach and the self -representation voiced by the ‘radical’ Islamists themselves; that also means categories imposed from above, that become unconsciously internalised from below, although both parties propose an inverted image of what is in reality: the mirroring effect. Furthermore, after two years of intense field-work, what powerfully has emerged is those parties leaders’ strong enamourment with power, for having the upper hand: not just on their ‘enemies’ and political antagonists, but also on their acolytes. That finally demystifies the concept of a future Islamist government where the ‘spiritual’ prevails over politics. Such schizophrenic attitude is explained by this paper through the dynamic of a fetishism for politics, which finally disempowers them as political actors. On the other hand this attitude is represented and discoursed by the dominant culturalist- orientalitst approach through the categories of ‘religious fundamentalism’ and ‘terrorism’. That means also the Dominant ( UK Government) lack of any intention of entering the dialogue with them: attitude, which finally ends up threatening and endangers the same national security. Therefore, my argument is that the fetishism for politics, on the level of the representation and self-representation- that ultimately means the mystification of what is political behind categories of religion and terrorism- depoliticizes Islamist parties on one hand, and it causes the persistence of a security threat on the other. This my paper considers as a tragic outcome, with no positive ending in sight.