Islamic Ecumene - by David S Powers & Eric Tagliacozzo (Paperback)

About the Book

"Islamic Ecumene addresses the ways in which Muslims across the globe participate in a broad cultural unit. In twenty-two essays, scholars examine Muslim societies comparatively, using the methods of historians, anthropologists, art historians, political scientists, and sociologists. They explore Islamic identity as a dynamic phenomenon reflected in the practices of the more than one billion people"--

Book Synopsis

The essays in Islamic Ecumene address the ways in which Muslims from Morocco to Indonesia and from sub-Saharan Africa to the steppes of Uzbekistan are members of a broad cultural unit. Although the Muslim inhabitants of these lands speak dozens of languages, represent numerous ethnic groups, and practice diverse forms of Islam, they are united by shared practices and worldviews shaped by religious identity. To highlight these commonalities, the co-editors invited a team of scholars from a wide range of disciplines to examine Muslim societies in comparative and interconnected ways. The result is a book that showcases ethics, education, architecture, the arts, modernization, political resistance, marriage, divorce, and death rituals.

Using the insights and methods of historians, anthropologists, literary critics, art historians, political scientists, and sociologists, Islamic Ecumene seeks to understand Islamic identity as a dynamic phenomenon that is reflected in the multivalent practices of the more than one billion people across the planet who identify as Muslims.

About the Author

Eric Tagliacozzo is John Stambaugh Professor of History at Cornell University. He is the author of The Longest Journey, and co-editor of The Hajj. David Powers is Professor in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Cornell University. He is the author of Muhammad is Not the Father of Any of Your Men.