The Democratic Path and Political Stakes: A Philosophical Reading of the Possibility of Universal Grounding in Contemporary Arab Thought

Abstract

This study examines the problematic of the democratic path in contemporary Arab thought from a critical philosophical perspective, employing a conceptual framework that synthesizes democracy, freedom, justice, and values. It explores the dialectic of identity and communication within the context of the Arab uprisings and their subsequent deep-seated political and social transformations. Furthermore, the study investigates the relationship between democracy as a universal concept and Arab-Islamic cultural heritage, reviewing the theoretical contributions of thinkers such as Habermas, Ricoeur, Hassan Hanafi, and Fethi al-Triki. The study concludes that constructing an authentic Arab democratic model necessitates a departure from local specificity while remaining open to universal values, anchored within the framework of the ethics of dialogue and communicative reason.