The Islamic World in the New Century

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference, 1969-2009

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd

Published:28th Sep '10

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

The Islamic World in the New Century cover

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is the Muslim world's only intergovernmental body-the largest such system operating outside of the United Nations. Based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the OIC was founded forty years ago to respond to the Palestinian crisis and counts fifty-seven Muslim countries among its members. It has since branched out into the areas of economic development, education, culture, science, technology, conflict resolution, and tackling Islamophobia. Sharing the history of the OIC with Western readers for the first time, this book details the achievements, successes, and failures of this singular political body and demonstrates why modernization is so central to the continued development of Islamic society. In 2005, the OIC elected Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu of Turkey to transform the organisation's platform and intentions. Ihsanoglu has since tackled the difficult problems of illiteracy and poverty, economic underdevelopment, and ethnic and sectarian conflict. In this history he devotes an important chapter to Islamophobia and its impact on relations between Islam and the West. The OIC treats Islamophobia as a form of racism and xenophobia, and Ihsanoglu explains why it is essential for international institutions to work together to combat violent extremism. He also argues that representative government, free speech, and equal rights for all citizens are critical for Muslim societies, and he envisions the need to reform the OIC as a necessary step toward renewing the Muslim world. One of the most important studies of the Muslim world to emerge directly from its participants, The Islamic World in the New Century ushers in a new era of change.

'The Islamic World in the New Century offers an important perspective on OIC reform and its potential to address twenty-first century challenges in the Muslim world and in Muslim-West relations.' * University Professor as well as Professor of Religion and International Affairs and of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, John L. Esposito's most recent book is The Future of Islam *
'Despite its significance in the Muslim world and in the field of NGOs, there is practically no serious and reliable book on the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, its mission, history and activities.' * Ibrahim Kalin, Center for Muslim- Christian Understanding, Georgetown University. *

ISBN: 9781849040631

Dimensions: 215mm x 138mm x 22mm

Weight: 553g

288 pages