@article{Švedkauskas_2017, title={Facilitating Political Stability: Cohabitation of non-legalistic Islam and the Moroccan monarchy}, volume={5}, url={https://journal.fi/store/article/view/55591}, DOI={10.23993/store.55591}, abstractNote={<p>Focusing on the role of non-legalistic Islam (Sufism and popular Islam), this paper aims to <br>provide an explanation for the distinctness of Morocco defined by increasing political stability <br>and decreasing group grievances, contrasting with the situation in other countries of North Africa. <br>Based on fieldwork carried out in March 2015, this study employs segmentary theory and the <br>“Governance of Religion” approach in constructing an analytical model explaining cohabitation <br>between the Moroccan monarchy and actors of non-legalistic Islam. Results of the research reveal <br>that 1) actors of non-legalistic Islam in Morocco, though representing a variety of organizational <br>structures and political orientations, can be divided into two groups: traditional vs. reformed <br>non-legalistic Islam. 2) This religious distinction is important politically. For example, actors of <br>traditional non-legalistic Islam can provide social services in the Moroccan periphery or create a <br>background for regional “religious diplomacy”. However, they are not able or willing to include <br>members of the wider society. In contrast, actors within reformed non-legalistic Islam aim to mobi-<br>lize new followers for political causes. 3) Consequently, the Moroccan monarchy seems to apply <br>various governance tools in regulating or co-regulating these actors; these tools include, among <br>other things, direct funding, the co-optation of leaders, and sanctions. Analysis shows that actors <br>representing non-legalistic Islam are engaged in the social life of the country and that this engage-<br>ment results in cohabitation with the Moroccan monarchy. As this paper argues, this cohabitation <br>facilitates political stability and prevents an increase of group grievances.</p>}, journal={Studia Orientalia Electronica}, author={Švedkauskas, Žilvinas}, year={2017}, month={May}, pages={1–26} }