Synopsis

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. 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) and Muslim Cities in the Later Middle Ages (Cambridge, 1984).

Library Journal

Respected scholar Lapidus here emphasizes what he argues to be the distinctive features of Islamic societiesthe developments of communal, religious, and political institutions. The book's first section deals with the Islamic transformation of traditional Middle Eastern societies; the second, the diffusion of Middle Eastern Islam to other regions; and the last, the disruptions of Muslim societies with the collapse of the Islamic empire and European domination. The book covers Africa and Central and Southern Asia as well as the Middle East. Recommended for all research and general library collections. J. Anthony Gardner, California State Univ., Northridge

Biography

Ira M. Lapidus was Professor of Islamic history at the University of California at Berkeley.