Wahhabi Influence in Bosnia-‐Herzegovina
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The Political Impact of the Rising Salafi-Wahhabi Influence in Bosnia-Herzegovina Nicholas Christopher Panos Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts In Political Science Georgeta Pourchot Ioannis Stivachtis Lynita Newswander March 20, 2015 Blacksburg, Virginia Keywords: Bosnia and Herzegovina, International Society, Wahhabi, Extremism, English School of International Relations, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ABSTRACT The Political Impact of the Rising Salafi-Wahhabi Influence in Bosnia-Herzegovina Nicholas Christopher Panos This thesis examines the political impact of Salafi-Wahhabism in contemporary Bosnia- Herzegovina (BiH) since the El Mujahed Brigade of mujahedeen introduced this puritanical Saudi form of Islam during the 1992-1995 War that broke apart the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFROY). This study employs tenets of the English School of International Relations and utilizes a historical analytic approach to identify durable features of Bosnian Muslim religious economic activity, Bosnian education, and Bosnian political processes to answer the research question: what kind of influence has Salafi-Wahhabism had on BiH society and government since the end of the 1992-1995 Balkan War? Emergent evidence captured by these variables suggests a momentum of Salafi-Wahhabism influence is developing that may undercut the sovereignty of BiH and possibly impede its European Union membership bid. As a result of this rising Wahhabi influence in several facets of Bosnian society, the aggregate level of Islamism in the country is also likely increasing. DEDICATION I dedicate my thesis work to my loving and supportive family and friends. I enjoyed and benefited from your perspectives as I formulated and wrote this thesis through three international moves, two deployments, and most importantly, the birth of our two children. I am extremely grateful to my Papou who, as a brave young man, boarded a freighter in Greece to earn a better life in America. My Dad built on that same work ethic and extraordinary belief in family and has always been my greatest example of what a Dad should be. Thank you Mom for raising your sons to be a strong men and helping plant the seeds for a lifetime of exploration and learning. To Anna and Christopher, you are both incredible children and though you might not fully grasp that yet, you will someday. You have embraced the positive changes in your lives with a brilliant resiliency that makes me so thankful and proud to be your Dad. This work is for you in the hope that you will grow up looking for ways to serve others as you continue to explore our wonderful world. Finally, to my beautiful wife Betsy, thank you. We are on quite a journey together. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I extend deep and sincere thanks to my committee members who were extremely generous with their time, patience, and subject matter expertise. Thank you Dr. Georgeta Pourchot for your encouragement, insightful guidance, and broad perspective. Thank you Dr. Ioannis Stivachtis for agreeing to co-chair my committee and for your mentorship, particularly in English School of International Relations theory. Thank you Dr Lynita Newswander for serving as a committee member and providing your expertise on issues of faith in public life and governance. I would like acknowledge and thank the Political Science Department at Virginia Tech for this innovative and forward-thinking program that allows students to learn and excel regardless of their physical location. This program is enabled by a superior administrative staff in both the National Capital Region and in Blacksburg, Virginia. Students depend on these professionals for all manner of assistance. I would like to thank Ms Karen Nicholson, Graduate Coordinator for Political Science and International Studies, in particular for her help throughout the program. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1 Conceptual Framework .................................................................................................................................... 6 Methodology .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Working Hypotheses ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Sources ................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Limitations to this Study ................................................................................................................................ 12 Expected Findings ............................................................................................................................................. 12 CHAPTER 2: UTILIZING THE ENGLISH SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AS A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................................. 34 CHAPTER 4: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND MODERN CONTEXT OF SALAFI- WAHHABISM ............................................................................................................................................................ 42 Ibn Wahhab and Wahhabism ....................................................................................................................... 43 Salafism .................................................................................................................................................................. 45 Wahhabism, BiH, and the Ottoman Empire ........................................................................................... 45 Sayyid Qutb .......................................................................................................................................................... 47 Wahhabism Situated ........................................................................................................................................ 49 CHAPTER 5: BOSNIAN ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ............................................... 51 v Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 51 Ottoman Era ......................................................................................................................................................... 52 Hapsburg Era ...................................................................................................................................................... 54 Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes ................................................................................................... 57 Waqf in Yugoslavia ........................................................................................................................................... 58 Waqf in Contemporary Bosnia-Herzegovina: Recoupment and Wahhabism ........................ 61 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................ 68 CHAPTER 6: FORMAL EDUCATION IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA ...................................................... 73 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 73 Ottoman Era: Empire and Caliphate ......................................................................................................... 75 Hapsburg Era: Formalization and Modernity ...................................................................................... 78 Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes ................................................................................................... 80 “Yugoslav” Education ....................................................................................................................................... 83 Contemporary Bosnia ...................................................................................................................................... 87 Sanctioned Islamic Education in BiH ........................................................................................................ 92 Salafi-Wahhabi Education in BiH ............................................................................................................... 94 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................ 99 CHAPTER 7: BOSNIAN POLITICAL PROCESSES AND INSTITUTIONS ......................................... 103 vi Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 103 Wahhabism and Participatory Democracy ......................................................................................... 105 Early Twentieth Century