Assessment of the influence and impact of the Islamic scholar and activist Fethullah Gülen, and those who are inspired by him, on contemporary Islam.

This book provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary exploration of civility and political culture in the Muslim world. The contributions consider the changing interface between religion and politics throughout Islamic history, and into the present. Extending beyond saturated approaches of ‘political’ and/or ‘militant’ Islam, this collection captures the complex sociopolitical character of Islam, and identifies tensions between the political-secular and the sacred-religious in contemporary Muslim life. The alternative conceptual framework to traditional analyses of secularisation and civility presented across this volume will be of interest to students and scholars across Islamic studies, religious studies, sociology and political science, civilisation studies, and cultural studies.

This book offers a unique transdisciplinary collection of essays written by highly renowned international scholars.

"Mosques in the Metropolisis a dual-site ethnographic study of two of Europe's largest mosques, one a conservative Islamist community in London and the other a progressive Muslim community in Berlin. The contrasting sites allow sociologist Elisabeth Becker to provide a complex picture of Islam in Europe at a particularly fraught time. She spent over thirty months studying the mosques through immersion and interviews and provides an analysis that goes deep into European Muslim communities. Individual Muslim voices come through loud and clear-for example, the young mother of three in London trying to reconcile her conservative religious views with her desire to leave her husband-as do the historical and structural forces at play. Ultimately Becker insists that caste is a crucial lens through which to view Islam in Europe, and through this lens she critiques what she perceives as failing European pluralism. To amplify her point, Becker brings Jewish history and twentieth-century Jewish thought into the conversation directly, drawing on the ways in which Bauman and Arendt utilized the concept of caste to describe Jewish life and marginality. What is at stake here is nothing less than the fundamental values of freedom, equality, and individual rights--ostensibly the bedrock of European identity"--

A comprehensive overview of the latest research in religion and conflict resolution, this collection of twenty three essays brings together leading scholars in the field examining the contribution religious actors have made and are making towards peace and resolving. The Ashgate Research Companion to Religion and Conflict Resolution is primarily aimed at readerships with special interest in conflict resolution, international security, and religion and international relations, and will also serve as a valuable resource for policy makers and conflict resolution practitioners. The collection comprises five thematic sections, each with chapters on vital and mainly contemporary topics in the field of religion and conflict resolution. The principal themes include: ¢

Muslim NGOs are continuously expanding their field of activities to various areas, including education, medical services, environment, aging societies, gender issues, and inter-religious dialogue. They are visible in an urban slum in Pakistan, rural development in Indonesia, and even in Fukushima in Japan to distribute hot meals among the affected people. Muslim NGOs have become a global phenomenon. Though there have been many studies on "political Islam", only a few approaches to broaden our understanding of Muslim NGOs have appeared. NGOs in the Muslim World brings together contributors familiar with the local language who have each been engaged with fieldwork for many years. Based on empirical anthropological and sociological studies in Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Jordan, they explore key issues concerning the role and work of Muslim NGOs, from the inspirations Muslims take from holy texts to the religious expectations of volunteers devoting their time to charitable causes. The book discusses the relationship of Muslim organizations with Islamic institutions, as well as their interpretations of the contemporary issues faced by NGOs within a specifically Islamic framework. As a result, NGOs in the Muslim World provides fresh insight into Muslims’ faith-based initiatives concerning contemporary issues. This book will be of interest to students and scholars from diverse disciplines including anthropology, sociology, political science and history, as well as Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.

This book analyzes the development of Islam and Muslim communities in the West, including influences from abroad, relations with the state and society, and internal community dynamics. The project examines the emergence of Islam in the West in relation to the place of Muslim communities as part of the social fabric of Western societies. It provides an overview of the major issues and debates that have arisen over the last three to four decades surrounding the presence of new Muslim communities residing in Western liberal democracies. As such, the volume is an ideal text for courses focusing on Islam and Muslim communities in the West.