Modernization, Democracy, and Islam

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Description

The Islamic world has a poor record in terms of modernization and democracy. However, the source of this situation is not religion - Islam - but rather factors including colonialism, international economic and trading systems, and the role of the military, among others. Recognizing these themes allows the consideration of possible remedies for change in the Muslim world. The distinguished scholars contributing to this volume identify key factors, some intrinsic to the Muslim world, and some external, that contribute to Islam's current predicament. Contrary to much prevailing thought and opinion, Islam is neither monolithic nor impervious to change. It is neither anti-democratic nor inherently anti-modernization. Islam itself, as this book shows, is not the root cause of the malaise of the Islamic world.

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Recommended. General readers, secondary school students, and lower-division undergraduates. * Choice *
[A] book with the tripartite title Modernization, Democracy, and Islam may be said to cover all bases, and it does just that. The quality articles treat such diverse subjects as the econometric dimension, the role of the military, comparisons between the Middle East and Latin America, and gender inequality. * Foreign Affairs *

Author Bio

Shireen T. Hunter is a Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where she has held the positions of deputy director of the CSIS Middle East Program (1983-92) and director of Islamic Studies (1992-93). Huma Malik is a fellow in the CSIS Islam Program. Her research focuses on ethnic and sectarian conflicts in South Asia.