Jihad Vs McWorld - Softcover

Barber, Benjami

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0552151297 ISBN 13: 9780552151290

Publisher: Corgi Books, 2003

Synopsis

Designed for anyone who wants to understand the challenges facing us after the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and in light of the conflict in the Middle East in 2003, "Jihad Vs McWorld" examines the conflicts of the modern world. Political scientist Benjamin R. Barber offers a penetrating analysis of the central conflict of our times: consumerist capitalism versus religious and tribal fundamentalism. These diametrically opposed but intertwined forces are tearing apart - and bringing together - the world as we know it, undermining democracy and the nation-state on which it depends. On the one hand, capitalism on the global level is rapidly dissolving the social and economic barriers between nations, transforming the world's diverse populations into a blandly uniform market. On the other hand, ethnic, religious, and racial hatreds are fragmenting the political landscape into smaller and smaller tribal units. Jihad versus Mcworld is the term that Barber has coined to describe the powerful and paradoxical interdependence of these forces, and in this volume he explores the alarming repercussions of this potent dialectic, sketching a democratic response to terrorism.

About this title

About the Author

Benjamin R. Barber is the Whitman Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University and the director of the Walt Whitman Center for the Culture and Politics of Democracy. He is the author of numerous books, including the political classic Strong Democracy as well as An Aristocracy of Everyone. With Patrick Watson, Barber also created and wrote the prizewinning television series and book The Struggle for Democracy. He writes regularly for Harper's, the Atlantic Monthly, and many other publications. He is married to the dancer and choreographer Leah Kreutzer.

From the Back Cover

Jihad vs. McWorld is an essential text for anyone who wants to understand the challenges facing us after the tragic events of September 11 and in light of the current conflict in the Middle East. In this groundbreaking and timely study Benjamin R. Barber offers a penetrating analysis of the central conflict of our times: consumerist capitalism versus religious and tribal fundamentalism. These diametrically opposed but intertwined forces are tearing apart - and bringing together - the world as we know it, undermining democracy and the nation-state on which it depends.

On one hand, capitalism is rapidly dissolving the social and economic barriers between nations, transforming the world's diverse populations into a blandly uniform market. On the other hand, ethnic, religious, and racial hatreds are fragmenting the political landscape into smaller and smaller tribal units. Barber explores the powerful and paradoxical interdependence of these forces and suggests a gameplan to enable the survival of civic society and the core values of democracy.

Edition details

• Publisher: Corgi Books
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0552151297
• ISBN 13: 9780552151290
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 432