Cosmopolitans and Heretics: New Muslim Intellectuals and the Study of Islam Paperback – 13 Jul 2011

Review

'This investigation of the work of three significant contemporary Muslim thinkers, from Indonesia, Egypt and Algeria/France, provides a good illustration of the range of thinking and approaches across the Muslim World, both on Islam itself and on Muslim interaction with Western Thought. The whole discussion is well located in the context of debates about concepts such as postcolonialism, translation, and hybridity, and the book is a powerful, and welcome, plea for the investigation of Islamic Thought on a global, as opposed to a regional, basis.' --Professor Hugh Goddard, University of Edinburgh

'Charts new territory for the robust study of Islam as a force in today's world. It traces the Asian arc of influence stemming from the cluster of new Muslim intellectuals whose work is little known but whose impact has begun to grow during the latest period of global history. The Indian Ocean network mapped here provides welcome attention to themes and issues, texts and contexts that will now be debated with fresh, sustained vigour.' --Bruce B. Lawrence, Professor of Islamic Studies, Duke University and author of The Qur'an-A Biography

'Kersten's sharply written study examines the contributions of three cutting edge Muslim scholars who engage creatively with the main currents of twentieth century thought: Nurcholish Madjid, Hasan Hanafi and Mohammed Arkoun. Displaying a profound grasp of modern intellectual history, Kersten assesses the efforts of these thinkers to break out of old paradigms and fashion novel and humanistic understandings of Islam, often at risk of severe censure. The terrain covered in the book is impressive, and fascinating details emerge as Kersten traces the scholarly genealogies of his subjects. In a field dominated by studies of Islamism, Cosmopolitans and Heretics offers relief. This is intellectual history of the highest calibre that should be read by anyone interested in modern Islamic thought. I would rate it as outstanding.' --John Calvert, Professor of History, Creighton University and author of Sayyid Qutb and the Origins of Radical Islamism

'One of the reasons for the really abysmal knowledge of Americans both the general public and many scholars about the contemporary currents in Islam is language. As Carool Kersten s challenging but very important new study shows, much of the work of or on Islamic modernism is beyond the reach of potential readers who do not speak Arabic or Indonesian or French. This is what makes a summary like Kersten s so very valuable, as he is bringing some critical information to the English-speaking world that would be largely inaccessible otherwise.' --Anthropology Review Database

'Kersten's sharply written study examines the contributions of three cutting edge Muslim scholars who engage creatively with the main currents of twentieth century thought: Nurcholish Madjid, Hasan Hanafi and Mohammed Arkoun. Displaying a profound grasp of modern intellectual history, Kersten assesses the efforts of these thinkers to break out of old paradigms and fashion novel and humanistic understandings of Islam, often at risk of severe censure. The terrain covered in the book is impressive, and fascinating details emerge as Kersten traces the scholarly genealogies of his subjects. In a field dominated by studies of Islamism, Cosmopolitans and Heretics offers relief. This is intellectual history of the highest calibre that should be read by anyone interested in modern Islamic thought. I would rate it as outstanding.' --John Calvert, Professor of History, Creighton University and author of Sayyid Qutb and the Origins of Radical Islamism

About the Author

Carool Kersten is Lecturer in Islamic Studies at King's College London. He has a PhD in the Study of Religions from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), an MA in Arabic Language and Culture and a Certificate in Southeast Asian Studies. He worked for many years in the Middle East and has taught Asian history and religions in Thailand.