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Bernard Lewis The Multiple Identities of the Middle East
Schocken Books 0805241728 / 9780805241723 Hardcover Very Good
0805241728 Amazon nThe Multiple Identities of the Middle East by Bernard Lewis is a sharp diamond of a book. It cuts to the essence of how identity has traditionally been experienced by people in the Middle East, how Western political concepts have altered Middle-Eastern notions of identity, and how these imported Western ideas have inflamed political conflicts in that region. The primary identities are those acquired at birth, Lewis writes. The first determiner of identity is blood, the second is place, and the third is religious community, which for many is the only loyalty that transcends local and immediate bonds. Lewis adds, The second broad category of identity is that of allegiance to a ruler, and notes that these two categories of identity were the only ones that existed until modern times, when the Middle East came under the influence of Europe. Now, he says, a new kind [of identity] is evolving between the two traditional categories that existed before. This is the freely chosen cohesion and loyalty of voluntary associations, combining to form what is nowadays known as the civil society. n nIn nine brief chapters describing these various elements of identity, and the pain and empowerment that has come from their revision, Lewis ranges widely over the recent history of inter-Arab and Arab-Israeli conflicts. He solves no problems with this book, but he does clarify them as well as anyone has. The Multiple Identities of the Middle East is the kind of book that can reframe a reader's entire orientation to a subject, infusing one's perspective with empathy beyond anything an outsider to the region could possibly muster on his or her own. --Michael Joseph Gross n nFrom Library Journal nLewis is a noted expert in Middle Eastern history, religion, and culture who has authored a number of authoritative works, including The Cambridge History of Islam in its several editions. His new work should be required reading for all Westerners who have any serious interest in understanding how the history and religion of this dynamic area have led to very different interpretations of such traditional Western notions as nation, citizenship, and patriotism. Lewis ably communicates the primary importance of Islam in forming the core personal identity for area Muslims. This relatively uniform identity does not mean, however, that Islam has survived without the rise of numerous schisms or competing visions of Islam and its relation to the state. While the influence of Islam remains strong on most Muslims, Lewis maintains that several Muslim states, such as Egypt, have forged more of a nation state-type polity than others. The reader will appreciate even more how the State of Israel fits into this m?lange and why it has been so extremely difficult to build a lasting peace in the Middle East. Strongly recommended for all public and academic libraries.AStephen W. Green, Auraria Lib., Denver nCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Price:
4.00 EUR
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