The Arab Nahdha projects and the Arab intellectuals' perspectives of modernity and social change in the Arab world

Since the introduction of modernity to the Arab World in 1798, the Arab World has experienced three attempts of modernization called (Arab Nahdha projects). These projects served as the theoretical and practical agenda for social change, designed for achieving liberty, progress and prosperity. The first two projects (1815--1837, and 1952--1970) failed, and the Arab World is currently going through the third attempt. The failure of the Nahdha projects, and the persistence of backwardness of the Arab World have resulted in rich and diverse intellectual writings about modernity and the desired social change in the Arab World. This qualitative study analyzes the Arab intellectuals' perspectives regarding modernity and social change in the Arab World. A classification of the main trends and currents of the Arab Intellectuals' thoughts is formulated as a methodological tool. This classification divides the intellectual thought into two main categories: modernity in Focus and modernity marginal. Each category is further divided, and the thought of each intellectual representing each main current is reviewed, discussed and analyzed in detail. Building on this classification, the analysis of the thought of Sadik Jalal al-Azm represents the extreme secular current, whereas the thought of Mohammad Arkoun represents the moderate secular current. While the ideas of Sayyid Qutb represents the Salafi current, the thought of Mohammad Abid al-Jabiri represents the reconciliatory current. The analysis clearly demonstrates the divers macro-perspectives of these intellectuals particularly in their interpretations of the causes of backwardness, and the agenda proposed for solutions and social change in the Arab World. In addition, this study shows a noticeable gap between the macro-perspectives of the intellectuals and the findings of some empirical micro-studies. This study demonstrates the inadequacy of relying on one single approach and proposes the integration of both macro and micro perspectives. Therefore, this study suggests integration between the macro and the micro perspectives in interdisciplinary studies about the social reality of the Arab World.