Product Description

Can West and East ever understand each other?

In this extraordinary book one of the world's leading Muslim scholars explores an area which has been almost entirely neglected by scholars in the field--the area of postmodernism and Islam.

This landmark work is startling and constantly perceptive in its exploration of Western and Islamic culture. Emphasizing the role of the mass media in shaping our understanding of East-West relations, Akbar S. Ahmed analyzes the ways in which the media turned events like the Salman Rushdie affair and the Gulf war into a carnival of spectacle and entertainment. He makes use of the postmodern theme of the displaced, circulating image to show how images are used to tell stories - stories which are not always helpful or accurate.

In this new, revised edition, Akbar S. Ahmed includes a remarkable and stimulating new preface, in which he reconsiders this topic in the light of the contemporary, post September 11th, world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1788083 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-13
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 312 pages

Customer Reviews

Not for readers who dont like to be shocked
It is a clearly and thought provokingly written book by a former Professor from Cambridge university in England.He presents very clear arguments which he endeavours the reader to follow, the conclusion is mind blowing and is difficult to counter.He presents most of the important jigsaw pieces to give an accurate picture.The way he starts with the ancient greek culture and learning, is enlightening in his commentary.If you want to know why the monotheistic religions with a lot of common ground fail to see eye to eye then look no further than this.There is an extensive citation index as well.

Manipulative and misleading
I felt ahmed had some good points about some issues but I feel he used speculation and conjecture to manipulate his evidence. The arguement that Saddam Hussein had support of his fellow arabs was plain and simply erroneous. I feel examples such as this are irresponsible and unethical for use in a text of this nature. Also, I realize the book was meant to be a little antagonistic but I think he went to far in pushing his opinions and spent too much time criticizing a few western indiviuals.

What an amazing book... no other like it
Ahmed is a refreshing voice in the world of contemporary Islam. With deep sophistication and grace he is able to weave a tapestry of the best of the Postmodern and the truth of Islam in a way no other has done to this point in time.