Between Memory and Desire: The Middle East in a Troubled Age - Rilegato

Humphreys, R. Stephen

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0520214110 ISBN 13: 9780520214118

Casa editrice: Univ of California Pr, 1999

Riassunto

Middle Easterners today are caught between memories of the past and frustrated hopes for the future. They struggle to find solutions to crises of economic stagnation, political gridlock, and cultural identity. In recent decades Islam has become central to this struggle, and almost every issue involves fierce, sometimes violent debates over the role of religion in public life. R. Stephen Humphreys's new book presents a much-needed and thoughtful analysis of Islam's place in today's Middle East. In clear, accessible language, he integrates the medieval and modern history of the region to show how the sacred and secular are tightly interwoven in its political and intellectual life.

Humphreys discusses the conflicts over power and resources that engage Middle Eastern politicians and looks at the major ideologies that have shaped these conflicts. He focuses on the impact of Islam on public life and examines Muslim ways of thinking about the "secular" versus the "religious." What values does Islam put into play? What challenges does it pose to "ordinary" politics? What resources does it bring to the struggle for social justice?

Humphreys recognizes the Western tendency to dismiss Middle Eastern politics as an incoherent tale of violence and fanaticism, and his book is especially valuable for its analysis of the deeper issues behind the headlines. These issues include the region's apparent inability to evolve democratic institutions, conflicts rooted in the peace settlements after World War I, and the unresolved debates over which cultural and moral values should drive Middle Eastern policy.

Between Memory and Desire reminds us that Middle Easterners remember the past in specific ways: the shame of the colonial era; the disappointments since independence; and the glory of the Middle Ages, when Muslim achievements were respected throughout the world. Even if these memories are only partially true, in defining the past, they also define what the future ought to be.

Su questo libro

L'autore:

R. Stephen Humphreys is Professor of History and Islamic Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and author ofIslamic History: A Framework for Inquiry (second edition, 1991) among other works.

Dalla seconda/terza di copertina:

"'People know a lot of things that aren't so,' warns Stephen Humphreys, and then he tells us all we should really know about the Middle Easta vast, complex, and frequently misunderstood universe. It is a rare achievement that combines erudition, compelling writing, and personal experience."Meron Benvenisti, author of City of Stone

"An outstanding piece of work on the relationship between secular and religious politics in the Middle East. It brings together medieval, modern, and contemporary Middle East history beautifully in a book of exceptional clarity and depth. Humphreys is nonjudgmental yet candid, focused yet comprehensive. His integration of early Islamic and contemporary history is novel, bold, and successful."Leila Fawaz, author ofAn Occasion for War

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Univ of California Pr
• Data di pubblicazione: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0520214110
• ISBN 13: 9780520214118
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 297