Islam, Liberalism and Human Rights [Paperback]

Katerina Dalacoura (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1860648665 | ISBN-13: 978-1860648663 | Publication Date: January 3, 2003 | Edition: Revised

In Islam, Liberalism and Human Rights, Katerina Dalacoura explores the concept of human rights, and debate between understanding them as a simply universal norm, or a ‘Western’ value, and therefore inappropriate and irrelevant for other cultures. She examines Islam's influence on the understanding of human rights in Muslim societies, and whether there is an inherent antithesis between Islam as a religion and the value of human rights.

Editorial Reviews

Review

''This is a valuable and original addition to a debate which is gathering pace among both Muslims and Western analysts of the region."--Roger Hardy, Royal Institute of International Affairs
 

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Katerina Dalacoura has taught International Relations at the University of Essex, as Tutorial Fellow, and at the London School of Economics, as Temporary Lecturer and later as Research Officer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris; Revised edition (January 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1860648665
• ISBN-13: 978-1860648663
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,235,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cogent, lucid and enlightening, July 31, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Islam, Liberalism and Human Rights: Implications for International Relations (Paperback)

I have read most of the literature available in English on this topic.The Delacouras offer up a fresh and insightful approach not found in other studies. Islamic apologists are desperately fighting for acceptance and intellectual respectability in the West. In order for these apologists to succeed they must conceal a "sacred" literature that embraces, endorses and advances slavery and the oppression of women as second class citizens.
The Hadith, collection of sacred literature, makes clear that Mohammed considered women "deficient in intellect." See Volume 3 Bukhari Hadith. This concepts is embedded in the very foundation of Muslim thought and world view. No small challenge to modernity.

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Immense Perplexity and Bafflement., February 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Islam, Liberalism and Human Rights: Implications for International Relations (Paperback)

The initial 30 pages (I refused to read further), were unbearably and nauseatingly chaotic and disorganized. Despite implicit benevolent intentions, the author propounded a few ideas and argumnents that should have utilized, at maximum, ten pages. Ideas and assertions could have been stated much more orderly and clearly. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.

1 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A diagnosis of the twin pillars, April 27, 2005

By 

Seth J. Frantzman (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Islam, Liberalism and Human Rights: Implications for International Relations (Paperback)

This book gives a cogent analysis of the relation between liberalism and Islam. On the one hand we have Liberalism, an ideology loosely based on Communism, that has origins in the equality movements, an ideology today that embraces everything no matter how awful, as long as that thing is a 'different culture'. Liberalsim today is no more then universal moral relativism, where a terrorist is a 'freedom fighter' and a child molester' is simply exploring his sexuality.

Islam is a religion, whose central themes include genocide(Dar al Islam, Dar al Harb), the beating of women(sura 4:34) and sex with 9 year olds(Aeisha).

Today Islam and Liberalism find themselves hand in hand. Liberalism has become a major defendoer of Islam, for although Liberalalism was originally based on secualr ideals like equality, today a liberal defends the viel, the Burka, the Abbaya, becuase today that is 'diversity' thus the beating of a women, 'honor killings' or the suppression of women are part of 'culture' and therefore neccesary. Thus a Muslim women in Saudi arabia according to liberalism doesnt deserve the same human rights as a western woman becuase the Muslim women has a 'different culture'. An Arab women who is a victim of an 'honor killing' becuase she had premarital sex isnt entitled to the same human rights defense as a western woman from Canada, becuase in the Arab womans 'culture' an 'honor killing' is 'cultural'. This book takes a deep and disturbing look at how liberalism has betrayed itself in defending radical, chauvinist Islam in places like Afghanistan(where Liberals found themsleves supporting laws that make it illegal to go to a movie theater and where adultery is punishable by death). A good analysis of how Human Rights are now based on culture, rather then universality, so that if in a certain culture people have 'different' 'values' for 'human rights' then liberalism will say "those people dont need human rights". Thus liberalism becomes a suppressor of human rights, rather then the upholder of those values that as Locke argued are universal. In essence Liberalism is racism today becuase it argues that certain religions and races, ethnicities and cultures deserve different rights, due to their 'culture'.

Seth J. Frantzman