This book analyzes the nature of the relationship between religion and politics by using democracy in the Muslim world and the phenomenon of the Arab Spring as a case study. Esposito, Sonn, and Voll provide valuable insight into the issues of equality, economic justice, and democratic participation that each opposition movement has raised and continues to grapple with, both in the throes of revolution and in its aftermath.
Although more than half of the world's Muslims live in Asia, most books on contemporary Islam focus on the Middle East, giving short shift to the dynamic and diverse presence of Asian Islam in regional and global politics. The Muslims of Asia constitute the largest Muslim communities in the world - Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Central Asia. In recent years, terrorist bombings in Bali, separatist conflicts in Thailand and the Philippines, and opposition politics in Central Asia, all point to the strategic importance of Asian Islam. In Asian Islam in the 21st Century, terrorism and its effects are placed within the broader context of Muslim politics and how Islamic ideals and movements, mainstream and extremist, have shaped Asian Muslim societies. Democratization experiments -- successful and unsuccessful -- are examined. The rise of radical militant movements is analyzed and placed in historical perspective. The result is an insightful portrait of the rich diversity of Muslim politics and discourse that continue to affect Asian Muslim majority and minority countries. Specialists and students of Islamic studies, religion and international affairs, and comparative politics as well as general readers will benefit from this sorely needed comprehensive analysis of a part of the world that has become increasingly important in the 21st century.
Are Islam and democracy on a collision course? Do Islamic movements seek to "hijack democracy?" How have governments in the Muslim world responded to the many challenges of Islam and democracy today? A global religious resurgence and calls for greater political participation have been major forces in the post-Cold War period. Across the Muslim world, governments and Islamic movements grapple with issues of democratization and civil society. Islam and Democracy explores the Islamic sources (beliefs and institutions) relevant to the current debate over greater political participation and democratization. Esposito and Voll use six case studies--Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Sudan--to look at the diversity of Muslim experiences and experiments. At one end of the spectrum, Iran and Sudan represent two cases of militant, revolutionary Islam establishing political systems. In Pakistan and Malaysia, however, the new movements have been recognized and made part of the political process. Egypt and Algeria reveal the coexistence of both extremist and moderate Islamic activism and demonstrate the complex challenges confronting ruling elites. These case studies prove that despite commonalities, differing national contexts and identities give rise to a multiplicity of agendas and strategies. This broad spectrum of case studies, reflecting the multifaceted relationship of Islam and Democracy, provides important insight into the powerful forces of religious resurgence and democratization which will inevitably impact global politics in the twenty first century.
This is a single-volume history of Islam. The opening chapters briefly discuss the historical background of the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century, through the rise of the Islam in 18th through 20th centuries. The final two chapters cover the significant events of the 1980s and 1990s.
Many today warn that the Muslim world and the West are on a collision course. The depth and intensity of animosity expressed by Bin Laden and his al-Qaeda followers led some to ask, “Why do they hate us?” The temptation for some American government officials and political commentators was to condemn and dismiss, to explain away anti-Americanism as irrationality, ingratitude, jealousy of US success or hatred for the American way of life. This approach fails to get at real issues. As governments respond to the threat of global terrorism, must be balanced by evidence that establishes a direct connection of guilt and by strikes that are focused rather than wide-ranging and indiscriminate. A disproportionate response runs the risk of a backlash in the Middle East and the broader Muslim world – as well as among American and European Muslim citizens – that erodes the goodwill of many and reinforces an image of a superpower again placing itself above international law. The war against global terrorism should not justify a gradual erosion of important principles and values at home or become a green light to authoritarian regimes in the Muslim world to increase repression. There is also a need to adopt a more balanced policy in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If foreign policy issues are not addressed effectively, they will continue to provide a breeding ground for anti-Americanism, hatred and radicalism, the rise of extremist movements, and recruits for the Bin Ladens of this world. Short-term foreign policies that are necessitated by national interest must be balanced by long-term policies and incentives that pressure our allies to promote a gradual and progressive process of broader political participation and power sharing.
Little known in the United States and Western Europe, the Sudan is nevertheless a country of major importance in international affairs. This analytic introduction to the modern Sudan, first published in 1985, provides a summary of the basic dynamics of the country’s political, social, cultural, and economic life, as well as a general framework for interpreting the modern Sudanese experience. The authors present a clear picture of the Sudan as a distinctive entity with an identity all its own, revealing, however, that almost paradoxically one of the most significant aspects of that identity is the place of the Sudan as a special link between different cultural patterns and socio-political styles. The Sudan is both a bridge and a melting pot, and this provides the foundation of its unique character.
Electroacupuncture is an advanced form of traditional acupuncture which shares many similarities to its historical cousin. As with traditional acupuncture, needles are inserted on specific points along the body. These needles are then energized using small amounts of controlled electrical currents; voltage applied can be fine tuned and calibrated in order to best address a patient's specific health issues. Originally published in 1980, Electro-Acupuncture for Dentistry (also titled EAV Special) has become the classic manual for holistic health practitioners, doctors, and dentists integrating electroacupuncture into their practices to help their patients. Author Dr. John K. Char, world renowned as a pioneer in the holistic healing arts, was one of the few dentists in the State of Hawaii to fully integrate alternative and homeopathic medicine in an everyday dental practice. Whether you are an interested layperson, dentist, or holistic health practitioner, this book discusses how to use EAV techniques to help patients with dental pain, discomfort, swelling, and much more. Dr. Char is a homeopathic physician, dentist, licensed massage therapist, and doctor of natural science. He mentored in Germany with the late Dr. Reinhold Voll and has trained hundreds of integrative health practitioners from around the world. Dr. Char is the head of the Dr. John K. Char Holistic Wellness Center of Hawaii. He can be reached online at www.drjohnchar.com.
Electroacupuncture is an advanced form of traditional acupuncture which shares many similarities to its historical cousin. As with traditional acupuncture, needles are inserted on specific points along the body. These needles are then energized using small amounts of controlled electrical currents; voltage applied can be fine tuned and calibrated in order to best address a patient's specific health issues. Originally published in 1980, Electro-Acupuncture for Dentistry (also titled EAV Special) has become the classic manual for holistic health practitioners, doctors, and dentists integrating electroacupuncture into their practices to help their patients. Author Dr. John K. Char, world renowned as a pioneer in the holistic healing arts, was one of the few dentists in the State of Hawaii to fully integrate alternative and homeopathic medicine in an everyday dental practice. Whether you are an interested layperson, dentist, or holistic health practitioner, this book discusses how to use EAV techniques to help patients with dental pain, discomfort, swelling, and much more. Dr. Char is a homeopathic physician, dentist, licensed massage therapist, and doctor of natural science. He mentored in Germany with the late Dr. Reinhold Voll and has trained hundreds of integrative health practitioners from around the world. Dr. Char is the head of the Dr. John K. Char Holistic Wellness Center of Hawaii. He can be reached online at www.drjohnchar.com.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.