Offers an overview of Sufism in North America. In this book; William Rory Dickson explores Sufism as a developing tradition in North America; one that exists in diverse and beguiling forms. Sufism’s broad-minded traditions of philosophy; poetry; and spiritual practice infused Islamic civilization for centuries and drew the attention of interested Westerners. By the early twentieth century; Sufism was being practiced in North America. Today’s North American Sufism can appear either explicitly Islamic or seemingly devoid of Islamic religiosity. Dickson provides indispensable background on Sufism’s relation to Islamic orthodoxy and to Western esoteric traditions; and its historical development in North America. The book goes on to chart the directions that North American Sufism is currently taking; directions largely chosen by Sufi leaders. The views of ten North American Sufi leaders are explored in depth and their perspectives on Islam; authority; gender; and tradition are put in conversation with one another. A more detailed picture of North American Sufism emerges; challenging previous scholarly classifications of Sufi groups; and highlighting Sufism’s fluidity; diversity; and dynamism. “…thoroughly informed and informative.†— Midwest Book Review “Living Sufism in North America is the first book of its kind to bridge the gap between Sufi studies and the study of North American contemporary religious movements. As such; it is a comprehensive; pioneering work of potential interest to a wide array of scholars in the field of contemporary religion.†— Patrick Laude; author of Pathways to an Inner Islam: Massignon; Corbin; Guenon; and Schuon
#761750 in Books Amer Psychological Assn 2011-02-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 10.10 x .90 x 7.30l; 1.30 #File Name: 1433809206225 pages
Review
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A Perfect Example of How to Make a Textbook InterestingBy Jeffery L CorbinLynne Jackson’s The Psychology of Prejudice should be celebrated for being a textbook actually worth reading. I ordered this book to read for a class assignment; and although I anticipated it to be rather dry; I found that I couldn’t put it down. The Psychology of Prejudice reads as an explanation of prejudice through intelligent conversation; it’s easy to read and thought-provoking. Jackson’s voice came out through her writing in a way that made me feel like she was talking to me; not as if I was reading for school work. As someone who is eager to learn of the psychology behind our basic human intuitions; this book did not disappoint.The Psychology of Prejudice serves as a book of answers packed with psychological explanations for why humans and society are so immersed in prejudice. Jackson includes theories; studies; and even her own insights in discussing the evolution of prejudice; the why behind the prejudice of different social groups; and how privilege encourages prejudice. She also deliberates societal constructions of prejudice; human justifications of prejudice; as well as the cognitive dynamics that maintain the prejudices we may have. Unlike many authors who leave readers questioning their credibility; Jackson uses every day examples to support her claims. For instance; when discussing stereotypes; she states “… seemingly positive stereotypes of some ethnic minority men as athletic may limit their opportunities or bias their evaluations in nonphysical domains; such as academics.†(Jackson; 19). By explaining concepts and theories using common instances; she enables readers to follow along with complete understanding. In addition; she cites all of her sources and tells her readers where they can find more information on certain concepts. As a student; I greatly appreciated this.The introduction of the book is especially resourceful. In it; Jackson describes the rhyme and reason behind the layout of her book; as well as the specific features of each chapter. For example; Chapter 4 is titled “Ideology and Prejudiceâ€; and in the introduction she writes; “Chapter 4 considers how societies construct ideologies; such as political; religious; and social systems of belief that sustain inequality and promote prejudice†(p. 4). Since I plan to use this book as a source for a research paper of mine; I found this to be incredibly helpful.As far as any weakness of the text go; I sincerely can’t think of any. Jackson’s book is well-written; informative; and effective. She examines not only racial prejudice; but also prejudice in regards of sexual orientation; gender; and culture. If I were to change one thing about The Psychology of Prejudice; it would be to include some illustrations to break up some of the writing; perhaps some diagrams or graphs of some studies she wrote about. Even though I’m sure I would value such illustrations in the text; the lack thereof didn’t bother me at all while reading it.Overall; I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the psychology behind prejudice; or to anyone who needs to use a credible reference in a prejudice-related assignment; it is not only engaging; but enlightening. There is so much worth reading in this book.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. One StarBy DocI am not finished reading/studying the book so can not rate at this time.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Savannah QuezadaLearn about the Prejudice. and you would get out of it
