Author Tarek Osman will talk about his latest book, Islamism: What it Means for the Middle East and the World from 7 to 8 p.m., Thursday, April 21 in the McManus Room at Westport Library.
Osman is an author, essayist, documentary maker, and political economist. His work focuses on Islamism and Arab politics, social dynamics, economics, modern history, and culture.
His new book, Islamism: What it Means for the Middle East and the World, is an analysis of Islamist movements in the Middle East. A political, social, and cultural battle is currently raging in the Middle East.
On one side are the Islamists, those who believe Islam should be the region’s primary identity.
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- CBC Interview on Feb. 28 on “Redrawing the Map of the Middle East”
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In opposition are nationalists, secularists, royal families, military establishments, and others who view Islamism as a serious threat to national security, historical identity, and a cohesive society.
This work explores the development of the largest, most influential Islamic groups in the Middle East over the past century.
Tarek Osman examines why political Islam managed to win successive elections and how Islamist groups in various nations have responded after ascending to power.
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— an announcement from Westport Library
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He dissects the alliances that have formed among Islamist factions and against them, addressing the important issues of Islamism’s compatibility with modernity, with the region’s experiences in the twentieth century, and its impact on social contracts and minorities.
He explains what Salafism means, its evolution, and connections to jihadist groups in the Middle East. Osman speculates on what the Islamists’ prospects for the future will mean for the region and the rest of the world.
“This exceptional book lucidly explains Islamism, not from Western perspectives, but as seen by Muslims themselves. By doing so Osman provides fresh insights into what has unleashed the religious ferment in the Middle East and the profound challenges Islamists face in trying to reconcile the Muslim faith with the realities of a rapidly changing world.” — Gordon Barrass, author of The Great Cold War: A Journey Through the Hall of Mirrors
Tarek Osman is the author of Islamism and the international bestseller Egypt on the Brink, which was published weeks before Egypt’s 2011 uprising. He has appeared as a commentator on most major international news networks and is a regular contributor on the Arab world and Islamism for many major newspapers and magazines worldwide.
He wrote and presented the BBC documentary series “The Making of the Modern Arab World” and “Sands of Time: A History of Saudi Arabia”. He is the political counsellor of the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development for the Arab world. Tarek has 16-years experience in strategy consulting, political-economy advisory, and investment banking and management.