Islamist Strategies in the Context of “Bottom-Up Islamization” in Selected Middle East Countries

The paper discusses the models of “bottom-up Islamization” observed since 1990s, represented by Islamist formations that are in opposition to political power. Islamism influenced the internal policy of selected countries but also was changed under its influence. The author analyzes the political involvement of Islamists and the methods by which they tried to join the political sphere. She also hypothesizes that the nature of “bottom-up Islamization” depends on the specificity of the country, on the strength of Islamist formations, flexibility of policy, often resulting in a modification or even a profound change in strategy. The historical approach adopted in the paper makes it possible to show the variability of Islamist strategies in the context of the socio-political changes of the region in the mid-20th and 21st centuries. However, a comparative analysis of various Islamist formations and selected Middle Eastern countries, taking into account various forms of state relation to reli- gion, justifies the contextual assumption on the nature of “bottom-up Islamization” and its changeability over time.