Introduction; Part I. Present: 1. Violence and peace; 2. Authoritarianism and democracy; 3. Socio-economic underdevelopment and development; Part II. History: 4. Progress: scholars and merchants (seventh to eleventh centuries); 5. Crisis: the invaders (twelfth to fourteenth centuries); 6. Power: three Muslim empires (fifteenth to seventeenth centuries); 7. Collapse: Western colonialism and Muslim reformists (eighteenth to nineteenth centuries); Conclusion.
Analyzes Muslim countries' contemporary problems, particularly violence, authoritarianism, and underdevelopment, comparing their historical levels of development with Western Europe.
Ahmet T. Kuru is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies at San Diego State University. He is the author of the award-winning Secularism and State Policies toward Religion: The United States, France, and Turkey (Cambridge, 2009) and co-editor (with Alfred Stepan) of Democracy, Islam, and Secularism in Turkey (2012). His works have been translated into Arabic, Chinese, French, and Turkish.
'In these pages can be found a grand solution to a grand problem -
nothing less than The Islam Question, that is, why one religion is
prone to violence, authoritarianism, and economic underdevelopment.
Kuru sets out to refute the two most publicly prominent positions
on this question, essentialism and post-colonialism, by unearthing
centuries of political and economic development in Islam and
discovering that its contemporary problems result from shifts in
religious and political authority of many centuries past. In this
courageous and compelling piece of scholarship, Kuru does for
religion what great historical sociologists like Barrington Moore
and Theda Skocpol did for democracy, dictatorship, and social
revolution.' Daniel Philpott, University of Notre Dame
'Generations of thinkers have puzzled over why the Muslim world,
once intellectually creative and commercially vibrant, fell behind
economically and came to symbolize repressive governance. In this
meticulously researched, insightful, and provocative book, Ahmet T.
Kuru attributes these interlinked transformations to complex
alliances between religious officials and states. Islam,
Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment will captivate scholars in
many disciplines, and also the broader public interested in Islam's
intellectual, political, and economic roles through the ages.'
Timur Kuran, Duke University, North Carolina
'Ahmet T. Kuru offers a nuanced interpretation of the links between
Islam and authoritarianism, in which the religion is not the
culprit, but complex socio-political developments are to be blamed
for the near-failure of Islamic societies to develop democracy and
an innovative economy. His historical analysis sheds new light on a
highly important and sensitive debate, and helps us to understand
better the deep roots of the Islamic Sonderweg.' Jan Luiten van
Zanden, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
'In this far-ranging and original book, Ahmet T. Kuru explores just
how it came to pass that the Muslim Middle East in the modern
period experienced a dramatic decline in cultural and political
dynamism relative to the societies of Western Europe. The question
is one that has preoccupied comparative politics and historiography
for more than a century. But no scholar has explored the issue with
the sociological richness, comparative erudition, or depth of
insight Kuru achieves in this book. This is one of the most
important works in years on the politics and culture of Muslim
modernity, and one that literally transforms the state of our
knowledge.' Robert W. Hefner, Boston University
'This volume is well suited for anyone interested in the Middle
East, the Islamic world, or political and development theory.' J.
Alkorani, Choice
'Kuru … undertakes an ambitious and, on balance, successful
analysis of the ills of the authoritarianism, economic
backwardness, and religious violence that plague 49 Muslim-majority
states.' John Waterbury, Foreign Affairs
'[Kuru's] central point concerning the damage caused by the
entanglement of religious and political actors is a fresh and
convincing perspective in a debate that has become circular and
stale.' Claire Sadar, Ahval
'[Kuru's] book is a must-read study for anyone interested in
political science, history and various other social science
branches … I must stress the exhaustiveness of this book's
bibliography.' Ahmet Erdi Öztürk, Democratization
'This book conveys a refreshing and nuanced historical analysis
which emphasizes that understanding the historical roots of these
problems leaves us better equipped not only in comprehending their
full extent, but also in solving them.' Therese Sefton, Journal of
Peace Research
'Kuru's new book is a ground-breaking history and analysis of
the evolution of the state in Muslim countries.
Thoroughly researched and accessibly written.' James M.
Dorsey, New Books Network
'Without doubt, Kuru's book is a must-read study and a pivotal
source.' Abdelaziz El Amrani, Hespéris-Tamuda
'… an excellent work. Rich in details with academic vigor, the book
will find its place on the shelves of various disciplines. Kuru's
engaging style makes the reading a rewarding, joyful
experience.' Mustafa Gurbuz, Arab Studies Quarterly
'Ahmet Kuru has done an amazing job of navigating through the
academic minefield with aplomb in answering some of the questions
that many even would not dare to pose. This book is undoubtedly one
of the best I have read for some time. Kuru's work should be lauded
and be part of essential reading for many areas of pedagogy.' Dipak
K. Gupta, Terrorism and Political Violence
'Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment is a tour de force
that lays out the broader context for the failures of the
contemporary Muslim world and the ways in which religion can shape
political outcomes.' A.Kadir Yildirim, Perspectives on Politics
'A magnum opus; it appears to be a product of painstaking
inquiries, enormous bibliographical research, nuanced historical
comparisons, and interdisciplinary analyses.' Serhan Tanrıverdi,
Turkish Studies
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