Synopses & Reviews
"This is an indispensable book in helping us understand the new world disorder that seems to be overtaking us. Juergensmeyer points out that much of the world neither understands nor finds attractive the idea of a 'secular state.' He helps us see that religious nationalism is a fact of life that will be with us for a long time to come. Deconstructing any simple notion of 'fundamentalism,' he shows us how it is possible to live with religious nationalism constructively without demonizing it. That is a major achievement."Robert Bellah, co-author of
Habits of the Heart"This penetrating analysis of the relationship of religious movements to political developments demonstrates how new forms of nationalism, rooted in indigenous religious and cultural traditions, are challenging the western model of the secular state in the Middle East, South Asia, and Eastern Europe. Because there is, Juergensmeyer argues, no satisfactory compromise between the religious vision of the national state and that of liberal democracy, a new kind of cold war may develop, no less obstructive of a peaceful international order than the old. An important, and sobering, feature of Juergensmeyer's analysis is his constant awareness of the significance of 'the religious right' in the United States and other western democracies."Ainslie T. Embree, Columbia University
"This is an outstanding study of an increasingly important subject. I find Juergensmeyer's concept of religious nationalism more useful in explaining the new worldwide religious resurgence than most concepts currently in use. The book is gracefully written and should be read by anyone interested in world affairs."Ehud Sprinzak, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Synopsis
Will the religious confrontations with secular authorities around the world lead to a new Cold War? Mark Juergensmeyer paints a provocative picture of the new religious revolutionaries altering the political landscape in the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. Impassioned Muslim leaders in Egypt, Palestine, and Algeria, political rabbis in Israel, militant Sikhs in India, and triumphant Catholic clergy in Eastern Europe are all players in Juergensmeyer's study of the explosive growth of religious movements that decisively reject Western ideas of secular nationalism.
Juergensmeyer revises our notions of religious revolutions. Instead of viewing religious nationalists as wild-eyed, anti-American fanatics, he reveals them as modern activists pursuing a legitimate form of politics. He explores the positive role religion can play in the political life of modern nations, even while acknowledging some religious nationalists' proclivity to violence and disregard of Western notions of human rights. Finally, he situates the growth of religious nationalism in the context of the political malaise of the modern West. Noting that the synthesis of traditional religion and secular nationalism yields a religious version of the modern nation-state, Juergensmeyer claims that such a political entity could conceivably embrace democratic values and human rights.
Synopsis
In this accessible text, Mark Juergensmeyer, a pioneer in global studies, provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging field of global studies from regional, topical, and theoretical perspectives. Each of the twenty compact chapters in
Thinking Globally features Juergensmeyers own lucid introduction to the key topics and offers brief excerpts from major writers in those areas. The chapters explore the history of globalization in each region of the world, from Africa and the Middle East to Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and cover key issues in today's global era, such as:
Challenges of the global economy
Fading of the nation-state
Emerging nationalisms and transnational ideologies
Hidden economies of sex trafficking and the illegal drug trade
New communications media
Environmental crises
Human rights abuses
Thinking Globally is the perfect introduction to global studies for students, and an exceptional resource for anyone interested in learning more about this new area of study.
Synopsis
"This comprehensive reader expertly assembles pivotal contributions to the growing transdisciplinary field of global studies. Linking the pressing global issues of our time to relevant regional developments, Mark Juergensmeyer successfully challenges his readers to think globally while paying attention to their concrete local environments." Manfred B. Steger, Professor of Political Science, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, and author of
Globalization: A Very Short Introduction
"Thinking Globally is the first textbook to give an effective overview of global studies as an intellectual field and emergent academic discipline. Juergensmeyer's work has the added virtue of giving a detailed account of global studies in all its complexity."Dr Peter Phipps, Global Studies, RMIT, Melbourne.
"Thinking Globally is an outstanding model of the intellectual and practical issues involved with globalization and its study."John Nemec, Associate Professor of Indian Religions and South Asian Studies, Department of Religious Studies, University of Virginia
About the Author
Mark Juergensmeyer is Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is the editor of Violence and the Sacred in the Modern World (1992) and the author of Radhasoami Reality: The Logic of a Modern Faith (1991) among other books.