The Anthropology of Islam

193 Pages·2008·1.1 MB·English

by  Marranci, Gabriele.

The Anthropology of Islam
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The Anthropology
of Islam
GABRIELE MARRANCI
Oxford • New York
First published in 2008 by
Berg
Editorial offices:
1st Floor, Angel Court, 81 St Clements Street, Oxford, OX4 1AW, UK
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA
© Gabriele Marranci 2008
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form
or by any means without the written permission of Berg.
Berg is the imprint of Oxford International Publishers Ltd.
Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Marranci, Gabriele.
The anthropology of Islam / Gabriele Marranci.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-84520-284-2 (cloth)
ISBN-10: 1-84520-284-8 (cloth)
ISBN-13: 978-1-84520-285-9 (pbk.)
ISBN-10: 1-84520-285-6 (pbk.)
1. Islam—Study and teaching. 2. Anthropology of religion—Islamic
countries. 3. Islamic sociology. 4. Anthropology—Methodology. I. Title.
BP42.M37 2008
306.6'97—dc22
2007049376
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978 1 84520 284 2 (Cloth)
ISBN 978 1 84520 285 9 (Paper)
Typeset by JS Typesetting, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan
Printed in the United Kingdom by Biddles Ltd, King’s Lynn
www.bergpublishers.com
Dedicated to the memory of Gregory Bateson
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Contents
Acknowledgements ix
1 Introduction 1
2 Islam: Beliefs, History and Rituals 13
3 From Studying Islam to Studying Muslims 31
4 Studying Muslims in the West: Before and After September 11 53
5 From the Exotic to the Familiar: Anamneses of Fieldwork among
Muslims 71
6 Beyond the Stereotype: Challenges in Understanding Muslim Identities 89
7 The Ummah Paradox 103
8 The Dynamics of Gender in Islam 117
9 Conclusion 139
Glossary 147
References 151
Index 173
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Acknowledgements
This book is the result of my discussions and debates with students and colleagues
about what the anthropology of Islam may be. I have benefited from advice,
suggestions and criticism during the many years of reflection on the topic and
the two years of writing, rewriting, scrapping and rethinking to rewrite again.
The words of this book would never have reached your eyes without the time
that students and colleagues spent in sharing their thoughts and ideas. Although
intended for teaching, this book is a product of learning. I have learnt from my
students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, from their questions and from their
challenges and curiosity about the anthropology of Islam.
Among my friends and colleagues, I would like to express particular thanks
to Professor Daniel Varisco and Professor Bryan Turner for their support and
exchange of ideas. I would also like to thanks Ms Hannah Shakespeare, of Berg, for
her patience and prompt replies to my questions.