Islam and the Myth of Confrontation: Religion and Politics in the Middle East - Softcover

Halliday, Fred

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1850439591 ISBN 13: 9781850439592

Publisher: I.B. Tauris, 1995

Synopsis

The collapse of communism, and the rise of militant Islamic movements in the Middle East, have raised the spectre of a future dominated by the conflict between "Islam" and "the West". From theories such as Samuel Huntingdon's "Clash of Civilizations" to the anti-Western rhetoric of many Muslim militants themselves, this image of confrontation has come to be widely accepted. At the same time, the many issues afflicting the Middle East itself - from the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Gulf War, to the arguments on Salman Rushdie and human rights - are widely seen as reflecting the influence of Islam on politics and society of this region. Fred Halliday sets out to reject these interpretations. Considering the sources of Islamic militancy and analyzing the confrontational rhetoric of both Islamic and anti-Muslim demagogues, he provides an alternative, critical but cautious, reassessment. The Middle East, he argues, can be treated neither as a distinct nor as a unified region, but must be seen as a set of variant societies, facing, like much of the rest of the Third World, the problems of economic development and political change.

About this title

Review

Listed as one of The Guardian's top 10 Middle East Books, 6 April 2002 'Fred Halliday's Islam and the Myth of Confrontation should be welcomed by both specialists and non-specialists alike... I would highly recommend the book for undergraduates... it offers many opportunities for spirited debate and alternative constructions of the complexities of the region...a successful and useful contribution to the scholarly literature.' -John Curry, Digest of Middle East Studies "Rejecting Samuel Huntigton's prediction and Muslim militants anti-Western rhetoric, Halliday argues the Middle East is not a distinct or unified region" -The Observer, 14th October 2001

About the Author

Fred Halliday is Professor of International Relations at the LSE, author of many books, including Two Hours that Shook the World.

Edition details

• Publisher: I.B. Tauris
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1850439591
• ISBN 13: 9781850439592
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256