A History of Islamic Societies

by Ira M. Lapidus

Product Details

:
Paperback: 1000 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2 edition (August 22, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN: 0521779332
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.0 x 1.8 inches

Editorial Reviews

:Long considered a classic, A History of Islamic Societies is now that much more useful a reference for general readers and scholars alike. Widely praised for its balanced and comprehensive account, Ira Lapidus' work has been fully revised in its coverage of each country and region of the Muslim world through 2001. It incorporates the origins and evolution of Islamic societies and brings into focus the historical processes that gave shape to the manifold varieties of contemporary Islam. The concluding chapters survey the growing influence of the Islamist movements within national states and in their transnational or global dimensions, including the Islamic revival, Islamist politics and terrorism. An updated discussion of the roles of women in Islamic societies is added, with new sections about Afghanistan and Muslims in Europe, America, and the Philippines.

Review
Review of first edition: 'I do not think that any other world civilization can boast a comparable general account of such substance and quality ... this is a great deal more than a textbook. It is a product of learning, intellect and style of an extremely high order.' Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society

About the Author
Ira M. Lapidus is Professor Emeritus of History at the University of California at Berkeley. His many books and articles include Islam, Politics and Social Movements (University of California Press, 1988) andMuslim Cities in the Later Middle Ages (Cambridge, 1984).