Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Ziauddin Sardar is a prolific writer and an insightful cultural commentator. His latest book, Why Do People Hate America? , has been a regular feature in bestseller lists in several countries. In the UK, he is known as a leading intellectual and his regular contributions to the Observer, the Independent and the New Statesman have brought his writings to a wide audience. As one of our most high-profile Muslim intellectuals, he has also become an increasingly important voice in the media since the events of September 11th 2001.

This is the first collection of his writings that offers a comprehensive introduction to his thought. Starting with his analysis of his own position as a British Muslim and a writer, it goes on to explore issues of Islam and cultural change, education, identity, post-modernism and the future. Drawn from a broad range of his work in scholarly journals as well as from his many books on aspects of culture and society, it includes his most frequently cited papers and makes an ideal introduction to the immense scope of his work in cultural studies.

Ziaddin Sardar is currently the editor of Third Text and Visiting Professor of Cultural Studies at City University, London. His books for Pluto Press include Postmodernism and the Other and Aliens R Us.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Introduction: The Other Futurist (p. 1)
• I Islam
• 1. Rethinking Islam (p. 27)
• 2. Reconstructing Muslim Civilisation (p. 35)
• 3. Permanence and Change in Islam (p. 48)
• 4. The Shari'ah as a Problem-Solving Methodology (p. 64)
• 5. Islam and Nationalism (p. 81)
• 6. Paper, Printing and Compact Discs: The Making and Unmaking of Islamic Culture (p. 89)
• 7. Reformist Ideas and Muslim Intellectuals: The Demands of the Real World (p. 106)
• II Postmodernism
• 8. When the Pendulum Comes to Rest (p. 121)
• 9. Walt Disney and the Double Victimisation of Pocahontas (p. 127)
• 10. The Ethical Connection: Christian-Muslim Relations in the Postmodern Age (p. 157)
• 11. Total Recall: Aliens, Others and Amnesia in Postmodern Thought (p. 189)
• 12. Bosnia and the Postmodern Embrace of Evil (p. 214)
• 13. Postmodern(ising) Qawwali (p. 219)
• 14. The End of Civilisation? (p. 230)
• III Other Futures
• 15. The Problem of Futures Studies (p. 247)
• 16. Asian Cultures: Between Programmed and Desired Futures (p. 260)
• 17. Other Futures: Non-Western Cultures in Futures Studies (p. 279)
• 18. Healing the Multiple Wounds: Medicine in a Multicultural Society (p. 299)
• 19. Beyond Development: An Islamic Perspective (p. 312)
• 20. What Chaos? What Coherence? Across the River I Called (p. 333)
• Ziauddin Sardar: A Working Bibliography (p. 350)
• Index (p. 362)