The Islamic Threat

With the death of communism as a global force, does Islam now pose the greatest threat to the West? This volume aims to show that perceptions of Islam as a militant, expansionist, anti-Western force are rooted in a long history of mutual mistrust and represent an over-simplification.

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With the death of communism as a global force, does Islam - embraced by one-fifth of the world's population - now pose the greatest threat to the West? From the Ayatollah Khomeini to Saddam Hussein, the image of Islam as a militant, expansionist, rabidly anti-Western force has gripped the popular imagination. This volume aims to show that these perceptions are rooted in a long history of mutual mistrust and represent an over-simplification. Placing Islam in critical perspective, the book explores both its current resurgence and its troubled relationship with the West. The author offers a systematic assessment of Islamic politics in key nations including Iran, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt and Algeria, focusing in particular on Islamic movements, both moderate and radical. A picture of Islam emerges which is not hostile and monolithic, but diverse and complex. In addition to examining recent historical events such as the Gulf War and the Rushdie affair, this new addition takes account of recent developments in Algeria, and contains a completely revised concluding chapter, "Islam and the West: Conflict or Clash of the Civilizations?".