A Berber from the mountainous region of Algeria; Mohammed Arkoun is an internationally renowned scholar of Islamic thought. In this book; he advocates a conception of Islam as a stream of experience encompassing majorities and minorities; Sunni and Shi'a; popular mystics and erudite scholars; ancient heroes and modern critics. A product of Islamic culture; Arkoun nonetheless disagrees with the Islamic establishment and militant Islamist groups; as a student of twentieth-century social science in the West and an admirer of liberalism; he self-consciously distances himself from Western Orientalists and Western conceptions of liberalism.This book—the first of Arkoun's works to be widely available in English—presents his responses to twenty-four deceptively simple questions; including: Can one speak of a scientific understanding of Islam in the West or must one rather talk about the Western way of imagining Islam? What do the words “Islam;†“Muslim;†and “Qur'an†mean? What is meant by “revelation†and “tradition''? What did Islam retain from the previously revealed religions—Judaism and Christianity? What did it retain from the religions and customs of pre-Islamic Arabia? In answering these and other questions; Arkoun provides an introduction to one of the world's great religions and offers a biting; radical critique of Islamology as it has been practiced in both East and West.This is a book for the beginning student of Islam and for the general reader uneasy with media images of Islam as a monolithic; anti-Western; violence-prone religion. It is also a book for specialists seeking an entré into Arkoun's methhodology—his efforts toapply contemporary thinking about anthropology; philosophy; semiotics; history; and sociology to the Islamic tradition and its relationship to the West. It is a book for anyone concerned about the identity crisis that has left many Muslims estranged from both a modernity imposed upon them and a tradition subverted for nationalist and Islamist purposes.
#3211545 in Books 2012-07-19Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .78 x 6.07l; .96 #File Name: 0813141109280 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Excellent book on a portiion of WW II submarine historyBy T. williamsonVery well researched and well-written book that addresses a largely unreported account of a part of the US WW II submarine war. As the war neared its close; sub attacks on small boats; junks and fishing vessels became common due to a lack of larger targets and the Japanese construction of smaller vessels to replace their dwindling merchant fleet.This book unabashedly considers the conduct of US submarines - the good; the bad; the reckless; and the excessive. As submarines were vulnerable in shallow waters or near Japanese air and water patrols; they sometimes offered little warning or opportunity to escape to the crews and passengers of these small vessels they attacked. Aboard these boats could be Koreans; fisherman (and their families); or Japanese. Most were likely feeding or supplying Japan or their troops; but the brutality and tragedy of war was certainly a facet of the sub war. Mr. Sturma does an excellent job of exploring the surface gun war. I am not sure this book would have been as likely to be published 20 or 30 years ago.Excellent work and an important contribution to the US submarine which strangled Japan and made surrender inevitable. All with under 2% of the US Navy's resources in WW II. These men never got the accolades of the Marines or aviators; but they had a huge casualty rate and inflicted an enormous toll in the war against Japan.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Very well researched and writtenBy william osbergVery well written. Cover of a different era Submarine was all wrong. Well worth a buy and read.5 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Excellent action book about our best Navy warriors of WW2By John JordanWritten by a person that knows his stuff. I was thrilled with the way the book drew me into the battles from my livingroom LazyBoy chair. My wife had to demand I put the book down to come to dinner more than once. Great book. I would buy from this author again.
