Promotional Information

This is the first survey for a general audience of key current topics in 16 countries with significant Muslim populations.

Table of Contents

Preface Introduction Islamic Republic of Afghanistan by Amin Tarzi Republic of Albania by Isa Blumi Bosnia and Hercegovina by Angelo Georgakis Arab Republic of Egypt by Kathryn M. Coughlin Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia by Dana Leigh Hearn Republic of India by Phyllis K. Herman Republic of Indonesia by Nelly Van Doorn-Harder and R. Michael Feener Islamic Republic of Iran by Mana Kia Republic of Iraq by Kathryn M. Coughlin Federal Republic of Nigeria by Kathryn M. Coughlin Islamic Republic of Pakistan Kathryn M. Coughlin Russian Federation by Galina M. Yemelianova Kindom of Saudi Arabia by Kathryn M. Coughlin Republic of Sudan by Heather J. Sharkey Republic of Turkey by Kathryn M. Coughlin Republic of Uzbekistan by Kathryn M. Coughlin Bibliography Index

About the Author

Kathryn M. Coughlin is president of Global Research and Analysis, a nonprofit organization dedicated to research and analysis on the broader Islamic world and to projects that promote social justice in the developing world's transition to market economies and global integration. She has taught, lectured, and given papers on a wide range of subjects including religion and gender, Islamic law, religion and modernity, and U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East.

Reviews

Similar in substance to Islam in World Cultures, ed. by R. Michael Feener (CH, Apr'05, 42-4397), this work covers several different nations and has a useful standardized reference format. The essays feature a diverse collection of 16 contemporary Muslim majority and minority cultures, including those in Albania, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan. Following a basic overview, each essay discusses country-specific topics on Islam; culture, society, and politics; women and the family; special issues in the news; and notable people. Each also offers a guide for further research….[t]he included countries are well covered, and the guide presents a solid introduction to the respective Muslim cultures. A glossary and an extensive resource guide on Islam are included. Recommended. Lower-/upper-division undergraduates; general readers.
*Choice*

[A] topical reference resource that will be accessible to a wide readership. The book will be a useful addition to an existing collection of general reference material … on Islam…
*Reference Reviews*

[E]xamines the varied culture and history of the Muslim world on a country-by-country basis with each chapter addressing a specific country….The book does not cover every country in the Muslim world, but focuses on 16, intending to provide the reader with an introduction to the Muslim communities in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. It contains an extensive reading and resource list for further research into particular regions or themes.
*Middle East Journal*

[T]his is a useful compilation on a limited segment of contemporary Islam, reflecting wide variations in practice, power, and politics
*School Library Journal*

Written for general readers, this reference provides an overview of Islam in all its diversity: Arab and non-Arab; African, Asian, and European; majority and minority populations; conservative societies and progressive. Sixteen countries were selected on the basis of a lack of current, accessible information and for their representative diversity. Each profile reviews the history of Islam in a particular country or region and presents demographic information on the Muslim community there. Special sections cover Culture, Society, and Politics, Women and the Family, Special Issues in the News, and Notable People.
*Reference & Research Book News*

Aimed at the general reader, this guide will suit audiences in high school, college and public libraries.
*Lawrence Looks At Books*