The New Politics of Islam: Pan-Islamic Foreign Policy in a World of States (Islamic Studies Series) [Hardcover]

Naveed Shahzad Sheikh (Author), Naveed S. Sheikh (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0700715924 | ISBN-13: 978-0700715923 | Publication Date: February 1, 2003 | Edition: 1

This is a timely study of the international relations of Islamic states, dealing both with the evolving theory of pan-Islamism from classical to post-caliphal times and the foreign-policy practice of contemporary states, especially Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan, from the colonial period to the global aftermath of September 11. With a concise but analytic style, the book engages one-by-one with the questions of political theory, political geography and political sociology as they relate to international Islam. Its primary empirical investigation is centred on the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), a powerful pan-Islamic regime, sometimes referred to as the 'Muslim United Nations'. In its theoretical deliberations on Islam and the postmodern condition, the book reconstructs contemporary understandings of how religious ideas and identities influence international politics in the Islamic world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'This short, yet ambitious study by a Muslim scholar departs to a large extent from the bulk of the literature of its type ... the author has a passionate style, with not infrequent wit and flair.' - International Affairs

'A significant contribution to the prevalent literature on Islam in the area of International Relations.' - Muslim World Book Review

About the Author

Naveed Sheikh is Honorary European Trust Scholar at Churchill College and a doctoral candidate at the Centre of International Studies, University of Cambridge.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0700715924
• ISBN-13: 978-0700715923
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,694,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Advanced stuff, February 24, 2003

By 

Khadijah Amin (New Haven, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Politics of Islam: Pan-Islamic Foreign Policy in a World of States (Islamic Studies Series) (Hardcover)

This is a great book on Islamic politics, written without contempt and with much learning. There is a lot of information in these pages, which will save university-based readers from having to read through dozens of other works to get to the crux of their research. The language can get difficult at times, but the audience is clearly academic. The author also assumes that the reader is familiar with much of the ground, so it is not a beginner's text, although even at the sophomore level this book is a great resource for the serious student. At times the points raised can be provocative and daring, but this work has clearly been written with a lot of engagement (do I also detect some British humor?). The theory in the end is beyond me, but does merit consideration for those with an interest in social theory. The discussion of foreign policy in the Islamic world should be very revealing to those who advocate a religion-based understanding of global politics.