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Muslims and Modernity: Current Debates (Comparative Islamic Studies)
Muslims and Modernity Current Debates - Comparative Islamic Studies Author:Clinton Bennett Can democracy flourish in Muslim society? What does the Qur'an say about women, minorities, human rights? Are Islam and the West on a collision course? After 9/11, much has been written about the inevitability of a clash between Islam and the West, as their worldviews compete for global supremacy. Recent developments have done little to c... more »hallenge this thesis, or the West's negative image of Islam. Against the background of Islam's encounter with liberal modernity, this book explores Muslim thinking on gender equality, minority and human rights, the nature of the Islamic state, peace and war. The author compares and contrasts contributions from 'traditional' and 'progressive' Muslims. The author suggests that while progressive Muslims tend to be more pro-Western, and while much of what they write responds to Western criticism, they do not view the West with unqualified approval. The terms 'the West' and 'the Muslim world' are not used without reservation; neither corresponds to any fixed reality, nor are they mutually exclusive. Voicing at least two Muslim opinions in each area of debate, this book challenges the idea that all Muslims think identically. While Muslims and Modernity is designed primarily for use an an undergraduate textbook, reference to accessible Internet material, to literature and to popular as well as scholarly sources will broaden its appeal to a general readership. This book's discussion draws on post-colonial theory, feminist analyses, anthropology, cultural and religious studies, politics and philosophy.« less