Is Islam an Enemy of the West?

by Tamara Sonn

Overview

New York, Washington, Madrid, London and now Paris Ð the list of Western cities targeted by radical Islamic terrorists waging global jihad continues to grow. Does this extreme violence committed in the name of Islam point to a fundamental enmity between the Muslim faith and the West?

In this compelling essay, leading scholar of Islam Tamara Sonn argues that whilst the West has many enemies among Muslims, it is politics not religion that informs their grievances.  The longer these demands remain frustrated, the more violence has escalated and recruitment to groups like Islamic State has increased.  Far from quelling the spread of Islamic extremism, Western military intervention has helped to turn nationalist movements into radical terrorist groups with international agendas.  Islam, Sonn concludes, is not the problem, just as war is not the solution.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781509504428
Publisher:	Polity Press
Publication date:	12/05/2016
Series:	Global Futures
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Tamara Sonn is an American academic who specializes in Islamic and religious studies.

Sonn received a B.A. in philosophy from Santa Clara University, an M.A. in philosophy from the University of Toronto, and a Ph.D. in Near Eastern languages and civilizations from the University of Chicago, where she studied under Fazlur Rahman.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

1 Islam v. the West? 1

2 Jihad; Message, Motivation, and Methods 13

3 Muslim Opposition to Terror 40

4 Shared Grievances 62

5 Mainstream Muslim Strategies 80

6 Religion Is Not the Root of Conflict 105

Further Reading 121

Notes 128

Editorial Reviews

It is no surprise that this lucid and insightful treatment of such a fraught topic should come from none other than Tamara Sonn, one of the leading scholars of Islam today. The author subjects some of the most pervasive stereotypes of Muslims current today - especially their alleged proclivity for violence - to trenchant analysis and confronts lurid depictions of Islam with sober facts. The result is a highly accessible and valuable study that compellingly undermines the all-too-common view that ‘Islam’ and ‘the West’ are at war with one another.”
Asma Afsaruddin, Indiana University

"Tamara Sonn's new book dispels the myths that portray Islam as inherently violent and antagonistic toward the West. She offers a compelling response and an essential antidote to the crude caricatures of Islam that pervade our post-9/11 world."
Todd Green, Luther College, author of The Fear of Islam: An Introduction to Islamophobia in the West

“Sonn’s excellent analysis introduces the reader to the voices of mainstream Muslims who speak out against terrorism; voices that tend to be drowned in the public discourse. Sonn convincingly argues that common grievances among Muslims should not be confused with common religious beliefs. This incisive little book is a reminder that politics, and not religion, is the cause of grievances that leads some to engage in terrorism.”
Nelly Lahoud, Institute for Strategic Studies-Middle East

“A concise but remarkably comprehensive analysis of a major element in contemporary global affairs - the relations between Islam and the West. Sonn’s thorough knowledge of both mainstream and extremist Muslim thought and movements gives a depth to this study that goes well beyond the usual coverage of this significant subject.”
John O. Voll, Professor Emeritus of Islamic History, Georgetown University

“Policymakers, government leaders, media pundits, terrorism experts and terrorists alike, as well as militant Muslim and Christian preachers continue to speak of a ‘clash of civilizations’ between Islam and the West or the Islamic threat. In Is Islam and Enemy of the West? Tamara Sonn, a distinguished expert on Islam and Muslim politics, addresses these concerns head-on in a major book that combines an impressive range of scholarship with an accessible and engaging style.”
John L. Esposito, University Professor, Georgetown University and author of Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam and The Future of Islam.

“Tamara Sonn’s new book, Is Islam an Enemy of the West?, deserves a wide readership - and particularly by those with influence but little knowledge of Islam. If the old saw that the truth will set you free has any resonance, readers will find an example of it here.”
Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to secretary of state Colin Powell and professor of government and public policy

"Sonn's book has many virtues. Writing clearly and effectively, Sonn shows her impressive knowledge about Islam and politics. This book will help policymakers as well as ordinary citizens to break their misunderstanding about Islam....Overall, this book offers a very timely and important contribution to understanding the current status of Islam in the West. Given rising intolerance and misunderstanding toward Islam around the world, I highly recommend this book."
H-Net Reviews

From the Publisher