Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia: Islam, Christianity, and Politics Entwined - Hardcover

Erlich, Haggai

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1588264939 ISBN 13: 9781588264930

Publisher: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2006

Synopsis

What is the significance of Islam's growing strength in Ethiopia? And what is the impetus for the Saudi financing of hundreds of new mosques and schools in the country, the establishment of welfare organizations, and the spread of the Arabic language? Haggai Erlich explores the interplay of religion and international politics as it has shaped the development of modern Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. Tracing Saudi-Ethiopian relations from the 1930s to the present, Erlich highlights the nexus of concrete politics and the conceptual messages of religion. His fresh approach encompasses discussions of the options and dilemmas facing Ethiopians, both Christians and Muslims, across multiple decades; the Saudis' nuanced conceptualization of their Islamic ""self"" in contrast to Christian and Islamic ""others""; and the present confrontation between Ethiopia's apolitical Islam and Wahhabi fundamentalism. It also provides new perspectives on both the current dilemmas of the Wahhabi kingdom and the global implications of the evolving Saudi-Ethiopian relationship.

About this title

Product Description

Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia Suggesting that the main civilizational confrontation in the world today is not Christian-Islamic but rather inter-Islamic, Erlich (Middle East and African history, Tel Aviv U., Israel) analyzes the dialectical interplay between formative religious legacies and concrete issues of international politics as it has played out in Saudi-Ethiopian relations from 1930 to 2005. He traces how the complex r... Full description

Review

A creatively conceived and significant work that deepens our understanding of the history of both countries, contemporary Africa - Middle East relations, and most originally, Muslim perceptions of Africa. - James Jankowski, University of Colorado ""This is not only a historical account, but one that brings the tension between Islam and Christianity in Ethiopia and its relation to Saudi Arabia up to the present. It is essential reading for those seeking an understanding of the role of religion in the interaction of these key countries in Africa and the Middle East."" - David Shinn, George Washington University

Edition details

• Publisher: Lynne Rienner Publishers
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1588264939
• ISBN 13: 9781588264930
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 225