Men of the Spear and Men of God: Islamism's Contributions to the New Somali State

Authors

Matthew Cavedon

Abstract

In September 2012, Somalia's new government held a presidential election for the first time'Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, an Islamist, won. Twenty years after a coalition of clans overthrew military dictator Mohamed Siyaad Barre and the country fell into anarchy, a new state is beginning to take shape. Though the government has yet to pass very many laws, Somalia's new Constitution establishes parliamentary democracy, declares Islam the official religion, considers human rights a guiding principle, and guarantees private freedom of religion while restricting the public propagation of religions other than Islam. The state is still far from secure, and the overnment has yet to extend its authority everywhere, but Somalia is taking its first steps toward stable government.

Recommended Citation

Matthew Cavedon, Men of the Spear and Men of God: Islamism's Contributions to the New Somali State, 28 Emory Int'l L. Rev. 473 (2014).
Available at: https://scholarlycommons.law.emory.edu/eilr/vol28/iss1/11