Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 11:06:38 -0500
From: Lou Caton <lcaton-AT-wisdom.wsc.ma.edu>
Subject: appreciation for the salon interview


Many thanks, Berry, for the link to the Geraldine Brooks interview.  She certainly seems credible to me.  Her take on Islam reminds me of Edward Said's response to Huntington's (I think that's his name) argument regarding "the clash of civilizations": it's
too reductive.  Appealing, politically tenable, and useful for policy, yes.  But in matters that are equally important, such as being theoretically sound, comprehensive, and alert to contradictions, it misses the mark badly.  In the same fashion, Brooks sees
the complications, the diversity, and the details of Islam.  Government action wants the easy argument, not the complex one.  Another perceptive critic of Islam in the mold of Brooks is Michael Sells.  His slender book on the Koran (he only looks at a few of
the early Surahs) caused a stir in North Carolina and is worth a look-see for those still interested in the beauty of Islam.

Lou Caton
Westfield State College
lcaton-AT-wisdom.wsc.ma.edu

berry anchang wrote:

> thanks for all the responses and sorry for the delay in getting back.
>
> lou, the salon interview with geraldine brooks can be found at the below link (you may have to copy and paste it into the address line?)
>
> http://salon.com/mwt/feature/2002/12/04/islamic_women/index.html
>
> if you're not able to open it, let me know and i can send it to you off-list (it might be too long to post here).
>
> salil, you pose many interesting questions about islam.  why doesnt someone on the list respond to these questions??  also, in terms of South Asian Islam: yes, Brooks' comments are pretty much confined to the Middle East.  She was a correspondent there, a
> nd based much of her book "Nine Parts of Desire" on those experiences, and i think that may be why south asia is ignored in this interview.  but it would be interesting to know more: again, why doesnt someone on the list respond to these questions regardi
> ng womens roles in south asian islam???
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