Ziauddin Sardar – författare

What do scientists actually do? Is science "value-free"? How has science evolved through history? Where is science leading us? "Introducing Philosophy of Science" is a clear and incisively illustrated map of the big questions underpinning science. It is essential reading for students, the general public, and even scientists themselves.

The future is the last frontier where nonwestern societies are still free—free to envision desirable futures based on their own worldviews, cultures, and traditions. Yet the discipline of futures studies, this volume argues, has abandoned its goal of exploring such diverse and alternative futures in favor of a single, myopic vision that is incapable of seeing outside the framework of western thought and action. Its overemphasis on forecasting and prediction, its overpreoccupation with technology, and its neglect of nonwestern cultures and concerns have transformed the discipline into an instrument for the colonization of the future. Distinguished contributors from a variety of cultural and disciplinary backgrounds discuss ways of bringing multiculturalism and plurality to the heart of futures studies and point towards new, decolonizing directions.This groundbreaking text will be essential reading for all those interested in helping shape more pluralistic and humane futures.

The future is the last frontier where nonwestern societies are still free—free to envision desirable futures based on their own worldviews, cultures, and traditions. Yet the discipline of futures studies, this volume argues, has abandoned its goal of exploring such diverse and alternative futures in favor of a single, myopic vision that is incapable of seeing outside the framework of western thought and action. Its overemphasis on forecasting and prediction, its overpreoccupation with technology, and its neglect of nonwestern cultures and concerns have transformed the discipline into an instrument for the colonization of the future. Distinguished contributors from a variety of cultural and disciplinary backgrounds discuss ways of bringing multiculturalism and plurality to the heart of futures studies and point towards new, decolonizing directions.This groundbreaking text will be essential reading for all those interested in helping shape more pluralistic and humane futures.

Third Text is an international scholarly journal dedicated to providing critical perspectives on art and visual culture. Third Text addresses the complex cultural realities that emerge when different worldviews meet, and the challenge this poses to Eurocentrism and ethnocentric aesthetic criteria.

The management of social, religious and ethnic diversity is a key social policy concern in Britain, and Muslims in particular have become a focus of attention in recent years. This timely and topical volume examines the position of Muslims in Britain and how they are changing and making social, political and religious space.With contributions from world renowned scholars on British Muslims and from policy makers writing on issues of concern to Muslims and others alike, the book explores how British Muslims are changing social and religious spaces such as mosques and the role of women, engaging in politics, creating media and other resources, and thus developing new perspectives on Islam and transforming Muslim society from within. Chapters cover issues of religion and politics, Britishness, governance, parallel lives, gender issues, religion in civic space, ethnicity, and inter ethnic and religious relations, as well as the role of intellectuals, chaplains and activists in reforming Islam and renovating the British political landscape. Providing a broad and comprehensive examination of the key issues surrounding Muslims in the UK, this book will be a valuable resource for students, lecturers and researchers in sociology, social policy, geography, politics, Islamic studies and other related disciplines.

The management of social, religious and ethnic diversity is a key social policy concern in Britain, and Muslims in particular have become a focus of attention in recent years. This timely and topical volume examines the position of Muslims in Britain and how they are changing and making social, political and religious space.With contributions from world renowned scholars on British Muslims and from policy makers writing on issues of concern to Muslims and others alike, the book explores how British Muslims are changing social and religious spaces such as mosques and the role of women, engaging in politics, creating media and other resources, and thus developing new perspectives on Islam and transforming Muslim society from within. Chapters cover issues of religion and politics, Britishness, governance, parallel lives, gender issues, religion in civic space, ethnicity, and inter ethnic and religious relations, as well as the role of intellectuals, chaplains and activists in reforming Islam and renovating the British political landscape. Providing a broad and comprehensive examination of the key issues surrounding Muslims in the UK, this book will be a valuable resource for students, lecturers and researchers in sociology, social policy, geography, politics, Islamic studies and other related disciplines.

The word barbarian is derived from the Greek term 'barbaroi' - or one who cannot speak Greek. As the Greeks believed that language was the tool of reason, non-Greek speakers, therefore, were considered devoid of the facility to reason or to act according to logic. This concept of barbarism in turn shaped the early anthropological observations of Columbus and the first European visitors to the Americas.Barbaric Others examines the convenient myopia which through the ages has allowed - and continues to allow - the West to see other peoples as 'barbarians', infidels, even 'savages'. In the book, the authors present a succinct history of racism, xenophobia and the concept of 'otherness' from ancient Greece to the present day. Topics covered include the representation of the 'other' in mythology, the medieval fascination with demons and the idea of the wild man, a critical overview of Columbus and 15th century exploration and the 'other' as colonial subject.'[Constitutes] a bold attempt at the de-masking of the iconography of evil in out times. Full of factual detail, it seeks to crush the reader by the sheer weight of meticulously researched and daringly analysed historical information.' Muslim World Book Review'Barbaric Others provides a valuable introduction for the non-specialist reader to some of the tactics colonial nations have utilised to dominate the territories and peoples they have encountered.' Patterns of Prejudice

Postmodernism has often been presented as a new theory of liberation that promotes pluralism and gives representation to the marginalised peoples of the non-west and ‘other’ cultures. In this major assessment of postmodernism from a non-western perspective, Ziauddin Sardar offers a radical critique of this view. Covering the salient spheres of postmodernism – from architecture, film, television and pop music, to philosophy, consumer lifestyles and new age religions – Sardar reveals that postmodernism in fact operates to further marginalise the reality of the non-west and confound its aspirations. By tracing postmodernism’s roots in colonialism and modernity, Sardar demonstrates that the dominant contemporary intellectual fashion, peddling an insidiously oppressive and subtle revisionism, is the most comprehensive onslaught on the non-west ever experienced. In stern retort, the author offers ways in which the peoples of the non-west can counter the postmodern assault and survive with their identities, histories and cultures intact.

'[It] does a great service in making available a clear set of critiques of the headlong rush into a planned and administered future, while at the same time providing tools for analysis and policy which demonstrate the necessity, not to plan the future, but to take responsibility for the grounds upon which it can emerge' Futures'An authoritative guide to thinking seriously about information technology, [It] helps to shift debate from its current journalistic level to a more considered overview of the phenomenon' Dr Jonathan Bigwell, University of ReadingContents: Technological Whirlwind • Darker Side of West • Microcybernetic Revolution & Dialectics of Ignorance • Meta-Technology of Pure Control • Democratic Franchise & Electronic Frontier • Ecology & Cyberculture • Anthropology of Cyberculture • New Political Paradigm?

This book explores the global culture of science fiction cinema, and in particular its presentation of contemporary images of the Other. Taking as a starting point the popularity of international forms such as Japanese anime and Hong Kong sci-fi, in addition to the success of films such as The Matrix and television series such as Deep Space Nine, the contributors examine the science fiction genre as an international, populist form of social analysis. In doing so, they discuss issues such as Orientalism, technology, apocalyptic futures, xenophobia, militarism and the role of women. Most contemporary studies look at the generic characteristics of science fiction, with its allegorical rendering of contemporary life, usually in relation to America. Case studies include Independence Day, Star Trek: First Contact and Until the End of the World, in addition to chapters on Eco-Apocalypse and new French sci-fi and New Manchester Ecstasy sci-fi.

The World Wide Web exploded into public consciousness in 1995, a year which saw the coming of age of the Internet. People are communicating, working, shopping, learning, and entertaining themselves, as well as satisfying carnal desires and even finding God through the simple act of connecting their computers to the wide universe of cyberspace. We are assured, at the same time, that this progress will have profound effects on work, culture, leisure--everything, including the ways in which we interact with each other. Yet just what these effects will be, how power will be distributed, and what recourse will be available to those adversely affected by the new technologies, are issues that have yet to be negotiated. Aside from the occasional panic over cyber-porn, few have considered the wide-ranging effects of our increasing reliance on interactive technologies. Cyberfutures offers a close examination of issues that will become increasingly important as computers, networks, and technologies occupy crucial roles in our everyday lives.Comprised of essays from a range of occupational and disciplinary perspectives, including those of Vivian Sobchack and Arturo Escobar, this volume makes essential reading for students in cultural and media studies, anthropology, as well as for citizens interested in considering the larger implications of the Information Superhighway.

The World Wide Web exploded into public consciousness in 1995, a year which saw the coming of age of the Internet. People are communicating, working, shopping, learning, and entertaining themselves, as well as satisfying carnal desires and even finding God through the simple act of connecting their computers to the wide universe of cyberspace. We are assured, at the same time, that this progress will have profound effects on work, culture, leisure--everything, including the ways in which we interact with each other. Yet just what these effects will be, how power will be distributed, and what recourse will be available to those adversely affected by the new technologies, are issues that have yet to be negotiated. Aside from the occasional panic over cyber-porn, few have considered the wide-ranging effects of our increasing reliance on interactive technologies. Cyberfutures offers a close examination of issues that will become increasingly important as computers, networks, and technologies occupy crucial roles in our everyday lives.Comprised of essays from a range of occupational and disciplinary perspectives, including those of Vivian Sobchack and Arturo Escobar, this volume makes essential reading for students in cultural and media studies, anthropology, as well as for citizens interested in considering the larger implications of the Information Superhighway.

This book, first published in 1977, aims to present a Muslim view of development and highlights some of the related issues that were being debated in the Muslim world. The author outlines the parameters of the Muslim world as well as the Muslim world-view, and provides an analysis of science, science policy and Muslim culture. This title will be of interest to students of economic and social policy, as well as students of Middle Eastern studies.

This book, first published in 1977, aims to present a Muslim view of development and highlights some of the related issues that were being debated in the Muslim world. The author outlines the parameters of the Muslim world as well as the Muslim world-view, and provides an analysis of science, science policy and Muslim culture. This title will be of interest to students of economic and social policy, as well as students of Middle Eastern studies.

Mecca is the heart of Islam. It is the birthplace of Muhammad, the direction towards which Muslims turn when they pray and the site of pilgrimage which annually draws some three million Muslims from all corners of the world. Yet Mecca’s importance goes beyond religion. What happens in Mecca and how Muslims think about the political and cultural history of Mecca has had and continues to have a profound influence on world events to this day.In this captivating book, Ziauddin Sardar unravels the significance of Mecca. Tracing its history, from its origins as a ‘barren valley’ in the desert to its evolution as a trading town and sudden emergence as the religious centre of a world empire, Sardar examines the religious struggles and rebellions in Mecca that have powerfully shaped Muslim culture. Interweaving stories of his own pilgrimages to Mecca with those of others, Sardar offers a unique insight into not just the spiritual aspects of Mecca – the passion, ecstasy and longing it evokes – but also the conflict between heritage and modernity that has characterised its history. He unpeels the physical, social and cultural dimensions that have helped transform the city and also, though accounts of such Orientalist travellers as Richard Burton and Charles Doughty, the strange fascination that Mecca has long inspired in the Western imagination. And, ultimately, he explores what this tension could mean for Mecca’s future.An illuminative, lyrical and witty blend of history, reportage and memoir, this outstanding book reflects all that is profound, enlightening and curious about one of the most important religious sites in the world.

How do we identify and judge beauty? Does it distract us from more pressing questions and issues? Is beauty the handmaiden of privilege? Or can it be found in everyday, ordinary things? Whatever happened to beauty in contemporary Islam? Do Muslims have a inkling of what beauty is and why is it significant? This issue of Critical Muslim looks at beauty from a number of perspectives -- from beauty in the Qur’an and the Beautiful Divine Names to racism and the beauty industry, politics of fashion, calligraphy, plastic surgery, female wrestling, Muslim beauty contests and the male and female gaze.

How do we communicate meaning in the age of fake news? What is the difference between narrative and information; between ideology and political narrative; between ‘narrative fiction’ and a story? Will the narration continue forever? What is history and what is propaganda? What shall we do tonight? What might we believe tomorrow? We look at the past, present and future of narratives and tell a few tall tales ourselves.

How is the future changing? Is there a single determinant future or a plethora of alternative futures? How do we actually study futures and can we trust anything anyone says about 'the future'? Are Muslim societies prepared for the coming tsunami of change? This issue of Critical Muslim takes a searching look at all things 'futures', from trends to scenarios, from Sofia the Robot to weaponised code, and from Afrofuturism to climate change. It explores what images and metaphors of the future say about the present. With contributions from a string of noted futurists including Sohail Inayatullah, Wendy Schultz, Christopher Jones, Jordi Serra and others. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

How does one navigate the rich cultural and political geography of West Africa? Mapping the diverse manifestations of Islamic influence, this issue of Critical Muslim brings together the resplendent but manifold articulations of Muslim and African identity. From the forest Kingdom of precolonial Ashanti to the cultural theatres of free and independent Senegal, Islam astounds nobility and flirts with creativity. A human story of struggle, living, belonging, and daring unfolds. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

As we teeter on the brink of climate collapse, this issue of Critical Muslim asks how we got here and whether environmental catastrophe can be averted. From the arid plains of Andalusia to landlocked Jordan, we see how communities are navigating extreme conditions and making the most of scarce resources. With the Muslim South disproportionately impacted by climate change, contributors will explore the consequences of water wars, worsening refugee crises and the innovation required to face a brave new world. Critical Muslim is a quarterly magazine of ideas and issues showcasing ground breaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world.

Music is haram, goes the old adage. This issue of Critical Muslim begs to differ, as Jeremy Henzell-Thomas urges the ummah to move forward from its anxieties that music is a licentious influence. Celebrating the rich tradition of musical arts throughout the Muslim world, we are invited to private audiences with performers from Bollywood to Central Asia and are offered an insight into the life of a Muslim punk in 1970s Britain. Putting the Muslim into classical music and the Islam into heavy metal, every genre is brought in from the theological cold.Critical Muslim is a quarterly magazine of ideas and issues showcasing ground breaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world.

The sacred and the revered, the divine and the musealised, relics have long been integral to Islamic practice. Wahhabisation has cast a modernist spectre over celebrated traditions such as the visiting of shrines and pilgrimages to the birthplaces of beloved religious figures, yet these rituals continue to thrive. In this issue of Critical Muslim, we look at footprints ascribed to the Prophet Muhammad, to Adam and to Jesus. We pay our respects to Sufi saints, who may or may not be Islamicised versions of the Buddha, and we ask whether tradition is nothing more than a relic of times gone by.About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

This issue of Critical Muslim explores the idea of a 'Muslim Atlantic' by looking at transatlantic connections between Muslim communities in the US and the UK. Based on and inspired by Paul Gilroy's work on the Black Atlantic, we hope to reframe his theory in terms of faith as well as race. Through essays and reportage, we will consider issues such as gender, race, leadership and popular culture, as we ask in what ways Muslim communities on both sides of the pond have shared experiences, and where their trajectories sharply contrast.About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

It’s not just intelligence that’s going artificial! Numerous elements of our everyday life reek of inauthenticity. Even the grass we walk on and the plants we decorate our homes with demonstrate how the artificial has permeated our lives in ways we do not often give a thought to. In this issue of Critical Muslim, we explore how the artificial controls our lives—from the cities we live in to the online lives in which we immerse ourselves at every free moment. Challenges will be explored: AI has irrevocably changed the way we work and increased the ease with which we spend money. Notions of desire and freedom dissolve or fall by the wayside. Fake news and the lies we continue to tell ourselves give the phoney impression that everything is situation normal—yet the truth is anything but. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

What is the ultimate destination? Is it a place, a state of mind, or a vision of how we would like things to be? Slick airline adverts tell us it’s the journey, not the destination, that matters--but the selfie generation is all about capturing, filtering and digitally preserving the destination, in all its Instagrammable glory. How has ‘the destination’ evolved in our rapidly changing times? Whether it is a physical reality that we yearn for, a spiritual reckoning or an introspective quest to find one's self, this issue of Critical Muslim explores what it means to want to get there, and maybe even how our original goals--even the destination--may change, wherever or whenever they may be.About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

The coronavirus has upended the post-World War II narrative in global affairs, as the United States and the European Union struggle to contain what may well become the deadliest pandemic in a century. Countries with some of the world's most advanced biomedical research systems were slow to lock down, slow to set up testing and contact-tracing, slow to equip their health workers with personal protective equipment, and slow to mandate mask-wearing in their populations. This has been in contrast with other countries--especially in Asia--which are further on the road to eliminating the virus completely. In much of Africa, too, where HIV and Ebola have helped to prepare public health systems for epidemics, the policy response has been of a higher quality than that in much richer nations. In this issue of Critical Muslim, we explore the impact of the virus on the world, examining how different countries have responded to the pandemic; why the science and health policies of richer nations were found wanting; and the implications for a post-pandemic future. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

Hassan Mahamdallie remembers the comedy and comedians of his youth, Hussein Abdulsater explores the Islamic approach to humour, Bruce B Lawrence is enthralled by Sufi satire, Gilbert Ramsey and Moutaz Alkheder dissect Jihadi jokes, Boyd Tonkin relishes the wordplay in Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq's Leg Over Leg, Robert Irwin enjoys old Arab gags, Eric Wagner explores Muslim comedy in America, Leyla Jagiella dissects the old theory of biological and psychological humours, Scott Jordan is astonished that comedy and news have merged into a single entity, Hussein Kesvani half-regrets his viral tweet, Shazia Mirza has a good laugh, Mevlut Ceylan retells Nasreddin Hodja tales, Shanon Shah is impressed by Arab political humour, Samia Rahman takes a sip from the famous drink of Abu Nawas, Ziauddin Sardar defends the integrity of put-upon pigeons, and RachelDwyer hands out Bollywood Comedy Awards.Also in this issue: Deena Mohamed's superhero Qahera, Giles Goddard on Christian-Muslim relations, Hoda Yusuf watches the first feature film from Djibouti, and a short story by Medina Tenour Whiteman.About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

It is a tragedy that we only appreciate what has already been lost—this is where the concept of a ‘world order’ first arises in historical memory. The ordering of the world has been a notion observed by historians and thinkers throughout the ages and around the globe. Rises and falls have provided incentives for the categorisation of civilisations, and other forms of global ordering. The West’s control of history, its power over the present, and its attempts to colonise the future are coming to an end, and a new narrative is about to emerge. Amidst environmental apocalypse, the end of Western dominance and unbridled technological advancement, this issue of Critical Muslim analyses the terms of world order, exposing its problems and limitations, and asks what will define it next, as the world begs for something truly new.About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.