The contemporary revitalization of shamanism as well as the incorporation of shamanic elements into many New Age movements makes it high time for a new comprehensive assessment of the tradition. In Introduction to Shamanism University of... Read More

Because most introductions to Islam focus their attention on the religion’s history—with particular emphasis on the Prophet Muhammad and the sacred foundation of the Quran—readers seeking a broader examination of Islamic culture in... Read More

There are inherent difficulties in understanding what people within other cultures believe. This is especially true when it comes to American perceptions of the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims. In "Who Speaks for Islam?", Georgetown... Read More

Recent years have seen no shortage of books offering remedies for the perceived woes of the Islamic world. Most of these—at least the ones receiving attention in the West—focus on the need for Muslims to modernize and democratize or,... Read More

A terror attack brings many challenges, some obvious and others less apparent. Those first to arrive on the scene, ranging from police and fire units to medical personnel, must secure the area, provide first aid to seriously injured... Read More

Recent explosions, assassinations, and kidnappings in Iraq are the latest gruesome outgrowths of the fourteen-centuries-old divide between Sunni and Shia Muslims, which began in the wake of the Prophet Muhammad’s death in the year 632.... Read More

The basic tenets of Islam remain mysterious to many Americans despite the intense media focus on Muslims since September 11, 2001. Even fewer people are familiar with how mainstream Muslims view the Bible or how they apply the Quran and... Read More