Journey into Islam; The Crisis of Globalization
Arthur Thevenart Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2007. First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. x, [2], 323, [1] pages. Illustrations. Contents include: Acknowledgments; One: An Anthropological Excursion into the Muslim World; Two: The Struggle within Islam; Three: Tribes, Women, and Honor in the Age of Globalization; Four: Who is Defining Islam after 9/11 and Why?; Five: The Clash of Civilizations?, Six: Lifting the Veil; Epilogue: The Hope of the World; Appendix: Analysis of the Questionnaires; Notes, and Index. Inscribed by author to Oprah Winfrey with transmittal letter referencing his previous appearance on her program and presenting this copy of his book to her. Akbar Salahuddin Ahmed, is a Pakistani-American academic, author, poet, playwright, filmmaker and former diplomat. He held the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies and is Professor of International Relations at the American University in Washington, D.C. Immediately prior, he taught at Princeton University as served as a Visiting Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He also taught at Harvard University. Ahmed was the First Chair of Middle East and Islamic Studies at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. In 2004 Ahmed was named District of Columbia Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. A former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland, Ahmed served as Political Agent in South Waziristan Agency and Commissioner in Baluchistan. He received his Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Globalization, the war on terror, and Islamic fundamentalism, followed closely by a rise in Islamophobia, have escalated tensions between Western nations and the Muslim world. Yet internationally renowned Islamic scholar Akbar Ahmed believes that through dialogue and understanding, these cultures can coexist peacefully and respectfully. That hope and belief result in an extraordinary journey. To learn what Muslims think and how they really view America, Ahmed traveled to the three major regions of the Muslim world the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia. Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization is the riveting story of his search for common ground. His absorbing narrative and personal photos bring the reader on a tour of Islam and its peoples. Ahmed sought to understand the experiences and perceptions of ordinary Muslims. Visiting mosques, madrassahs, and universities, he met with people ranging from Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to prime ministers, princes, sheikhs, professors, and students. He observed, listened, and asked them questions. For example, who inspires them? What are they reading? How do the Internet and international media impact their lives? How do they view America, the West, and changes in society? Ahmed's anthropological expedition enjoyed extensive access to women and youths, revealing unique information on large yet often misunderstood populations. Lamentably, he found high levels of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism and a widespread perception that Islam is under attack from the West. But he also brought back reason for hope. He returned from his groundbreaking travels both impressed with the concerned, kind nature of the individuals he encountered and invigorated with the vitality and passion they displayed. Journey into Islam makes a powerful plea for forming friendships across religion, race, and tradition to create lasting peace between Islam and the West. Condition: Very good / Very good.
Keywords: Oprah Winfrey, Globalization, Muslim, Islam, Terrorism, Afghanistan, Ajmer, Aligarh, Bin Laden, Deoband, Pakistan, Tribes, Wahhabi
ISBN: 9780815701323
[Book #83226]
Price: $1,000.00