European Perceptions of Islam and America From Saladin to George W. Bush: Europe's Fragile Ego Uncovered
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Description
The study unearths in European writings about chief rivals -- Islamic civilization between the first Crusade in 1095 and the final Ottoman siege of Vienna in 1683, and the United States of America from independence in 1776 until the present – persistent solicitude regarding Europe’s capacity to lead the world. Intriguingly, however, this very self-doubt prompted the kind of intense introspection which helped, in the past, to forge seismic progressive reform movements such as the Renaissance, Reformation and Scientific Revolution that ultimately propelled Europe past a more inward-looking Islam and which, today, may very well be positioning a rapidly transforming Europe Union to counter the hegemony of a seemingly smug America. The study concludes that frail, if not low self-esteem has played a significant role in the formation of European identity.
Publication Date
2009
Publisher
Palgrave Macmillan
City
New York
Keywords
Islamic countries, United States, Europe, Islam, public opinion, history, international relations, political science
Disciplines
Political Science | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Table of Contents
Eurocentrism -- Introduction -- The quest for subjective eurocentrism -- Rival to the East -- The discovery of Islamic superiority (1095-1453) -- Lingering Asian superiority (1453-1776) -- Rival to the West -- The real American Revolution (1776-1820) -- America ascendant (1820-1914) -- World America (1918-present).
Original Publication Information
Palgrave Macmillan
Recommended Citation
O'Brien, P. (2009). European perceptions of Islam and America from Saladin to George W. Bush: Europe's fragile ego uncovered. Palgrave Macmillan.