akbar ahmed
October 2008 
Islam and Globalization
Albert
This is a new and great presentation from last SDi Confab in May.
Dr. Akbar Ahmed presents: Change, Transitions and Transformations in Islam
Annual Spiral Dynamics Conference “ConFab 2008”, May 24, 2008
Insightful and Inspirational Presentation by Ambassador Akbar Ahmed
Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, American University in Washington DC, was the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Great Britain. He has advised Prince Charles and met with President George W. Bush on Islam. His numerous books, films and documentaries have won awards. His books have been translated into many languages including Chinese and Indonesian. Ahmed is “the world’s leading authority on contemporary Islam” according to the BBC. Read more
http://www.akbarahmed.org/
In his presentation Dr. Ahmed talked about the research he did for his latest book “Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization,” where he discovered three broad categories of Muslim responses to the modern world: the mystics, the modernists and the literalists.
The mystics are the most tolerant and the least political, defined by a universalist worldview that embraces difference rather than resisting it. Muslims in this group look to sages such as the great Sufi poet Rumi for inspiration. "I go to a synagogue, church and a mosque, and I see the same spirit and the same altar," Rumi once said. You'll find today's mystics in such places as Iran, Morocco and Turkey.
Then there's the modernist position, one taken by Muslims who seek to adapt to Western modernity, synthesize it with their faith traditions and live in dialogue with it. In fact, a few decades ago it seemed that these forward-looking interpretations would become the dominant expression of Islam, and reform-minded Muslim countries seemed poised to join the community of nations.
Listen to an audio of the full presentation.
A book of Akbar Ahmet is one of the most insightful analysis I have seen -as far as I undertand -about crucial nexus of globaization and contemporary Islam. it serves a great educational purpose for diffferentiating between confusing perspectives about Arab World, Islam, and he developed worlds of North America and Europe.Iits essential to learn f.e. that Turkey and Iran do belong to broader Mideast, but are outside Arab Culture.
Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization
Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization"
Published by Brookings Institution Press
“Why?” Years after September 11 we are still looking for answers. Akbar Ahmed, the internationally renowned Islamic scholar, knew that the question could not be answered until Islam and the West move past the hatred and mistrust escalated by globalization and the war on terror. Seeking to establish dialogue and understanding between these cultures, Ahmed led a team of dedicated young Americans on a daring, unprecedented tour of the Muslim world. Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization is the riveting story of their search for common ground.
From the mosques of Damascus to the madrassahs of Karachi and to the malls of Jakarta, Ahmed and his companions set out to listen to the fears, hopes, and beliefs of everyday Muslims. Here, they give voice to students, professors, sheikhs, presidents and prime ministers, even to cab drivers—and how they really view America, its policies and globalization. Ahmed and his team returned from their groundbreaking journey through nine Muslim countries with both cause for concern and occasion for hope.
Read more...
Access: Public
thanks for posting this, Albert! bookmarked! will check it out in detail soon.
speaking of globalization and religion, religious awakening in China is on the rise.
i think it's serendipitous that we're riffing on similar topics :)
~C
China has its own Nation Buidling…thank you, Rommel , very much for ongoing research.! Al the complex awakenings, tensions and riddles, strange phenomena and frictions especially in developing countries need more than ever before a very close, informed, engaged and passionte new journalism and citizen momentum.
Hope we can one day sit together with Fareed zakaria, Parag Khana et al and make a roundtable at CNN…BBC …about trigger points for global change and transitions. In a cycle of poltical innovation which will be initiated by next president of US, Barack Obama and some Europen Top leaders of a next generations of global thinkers and pioneers with evolutionary perspectives and Global Integral at the cutting edge…..):)
My very best wishes to you and your wife,
Albert
“In a cycle of poltical innovation which will be initiated by next president of US, Barack Obama and some Europen Top leaders of a next generations of global thinkers and pioneers with evolutionary perspectives and Global Integral at the cutting edge”
so are you calling the election in favor of Barack Obama as early as now? :)
by your own estimation, is Barack Obama more favorable in Germany than John McCain? just curious.
i'm with you though.
~C
Absolutely! Please read diverse articles in SPIEGEL ONLINE and International herald TRibune. We have in Germany and Europe a literal Obamamania!
Personally I am a bit careful. Obama -the next US administration in general- will demand a lots from the Europeans in terms of global security architecture. I have blogged about these items a lot here at Gaia. (Global Blue in SDi)We hear already demands for Afghanistan, iraq, Iran, Arab Gulf, Africa and lots of other themes.
The curent Leadership in Europe AND Us need upgrades, updates and direction for global intelligence and strategies.
No Roadmaps without development maps.
A global Braintrust is needed. And leadership meshworks with helicopter views AND Stealth Bomber qualiites. No martial tenor is intended by me. its about hyperspeed in Design, execution and performance. Getting things done as Tom Barnett does for miltiary action. However, smart guys like Tom need to understand that Core Countries are called to transformation too. …
Simply the ability for integral inteligencies and task forces to move invisibly-if necessary- into any trouble complex or stagnating constellation to create momentum and change. In stealth fashion and maybe without any noises for the public..
So thats the nexus for the coming decade.
I am predicting -since my first Obama post in 2007 -that Barack WILL be next US president.
He has my fullest sympathy and my prayers.
“Absolutely! Please read diverse articles in SPIEGEL ONLINE and International herald TRibune. We have in Germany and Europe a literal Obamamania!”
yeah, i noticed that too. including the articles in Atlantic Community :)
“I am predicting -since my first Obama post in 2007 -that Barack WILL be next US president.”
i may end up foolish but i'll also go on record that i called this election early on. heck, if the Democrats don't win by a landslide (or at least convincingly) in this election, then they should be sent back packing :)
as always, thanks for sharing your geopolitical and integral views. keep 'em coming.
~C
btw, thanks to your post i found this video of Akbar Ahmed.
http://videos.gaia.com/393841/journey_into_islam_with_dr_akbar_ahmed
~C
When I spoke with Jörg Wolff, editor-in-cheif of atlantic-community.org earlier this year I saw his enthusiasm for Obama too. And Jörg is one example for thousands of others too. He represents a generational potential especially for the generation 40+ which wii have significant relvance for shifts of all kinds in next 10 years and beyond.
However Atlantic Community and similar promising think tanks need perspectives. The same with journalism, poltics, science and research of all kind. And NOT only perspectives. As Don Beck wrote in his article about Meshwork Foundations financial breakthroughs.
Idealism, Volunteering and donations never can be sustainable solutions for massive breakthroughs. And again Obama and his campaigning team demonstated the leverage of orchestrated joint venrures.
Meshwork Foundations however would represent a new historic type for evolutionary work.
Especially Center for Human Emrgence Mideast will need to prototype such forms.
Thx for the Akbar Ahmed Video.