Islam and the West

Is it correct to equate Islam with the West, a religious community with a geo-political entity? Islam is not a place; it is a religion. But, in this enlightening and distinguished collection of essays, several of them previously unpublished in English, Bernard Lewis questions the apparent asymmetries between Islam and the West, explores the vast common heritage both communities share and investigates each side's perception of the other.

Many of the pieces examine the troubled relations between the two regions since the Middle Ages, focusing in particular on the impact of the West on the Middle East in modern times, and the Islamic responses to Western dominance. Especially timely are articles on the resurgence of Islam and anti-Western sentiment in recent years and on the failure of democratic institutions to take hold in the region.

Bernard Lewis is one of the world's leading scholars of the Middle East. He is Cleveland E. Dodge Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Emeritus, at Princeton University. Previously, a permanent member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.