Islamism is a concept whose meaning has been debated in both public and academic contexts. The term can refer to diverse forms of social and political activism advocating that public and political life should be guided by Islamic principles or more specifically to movements that call for full implementation of
sharia. It is commonly used interchangeably with the terms such as political Islam or Islamic fundamentalism, giving this term more than one sense and referring to different concepts. In academic usage, the term
Islamism does not specify what vision of "Islamic order" or sharia is being advocated, or how the advocates intend to bring about that vision. In Western mass media it tends to refer to groups whose aim is to establish a sharia-based Islamic state, often with implication of violent tactics and human rights violations, and has acquired connotations of political extremism. In the Muslim world, the term has positive connotations among its proponents.