Islam and Modernity
Answer the following questions. Each answer should be 300 words. Make reference to Samuel Huntington, Edward Said, Zachary Lockman and Maxim Rodson. Make references/In-text citations but DO NOT directly quote them.
Questions:
1) Briefly elaborate on the main features of Said’s concept of Orientalism and how they pertain to the study of contemporary ‘Islam’.
2)Identify and elaborate on one of the main critiques of Said’s concept of Orientalism and the ‘political implications it might have. Not just character attacks like Bernard Lewis. Use Lockman or Rodinson
3)How does Maxim Rodinson approach the debate on the (in)compatibility of ‘Islam’ and ‘capitalism’? What are the weaknesses and/or merits of such an approach?
4)Aijaz Ahmad has argued that Said’s conceptualization of ‘Orientalism’ had helped “upwardly mobile professionals” who had immigrated from the Third World to the West to develop “narratives of oppression that would get them preferential treatment” (Ahmad 1992). Why does Ahmad reach this conclusion and to what extent do you think, his argument is valid?
