Praise for Joseph Massad's ''Islam in Liberalism''

"This is a powerfully--often passionately--written text. . . . The only book that I can think of in comparison is Edward Said's Covering Islam--but Massad’s book is far richer both in terms of the literature covered (much of which was of course not yet available when Said wrote his book) and the range of questions engaged.”

For Massad's forthcoming book please click here

Praise for Gil Anidjar's ''Blood: A Critique of Christianity''

''In this highly original book Anidjar deconstructs 'Christianity' into its element: blood. In doing so he demonstrates, with impressive skill, the ubiquity of blood--and its metamorphoses--in Christian history. In this exploration of the circulation of blood as the life of nation, state, and capital, the reader is presented with an extraordinary account of modernity no less. Scholars of modernity will learn to see 'Christianity' as something at once more and less than 'religion'--even though it is, as Anidjar argues, the (misleading) prototype of all religions.' This is a work to be read carefully and its implications pondered over.''

For Anidjar's Blood, click here

Praise for Kalpagam's ''Rule by Numbers''

''Rule by Numbers is a valuable contribution to what has come to be generally known as postcolonial studies. Drawing her inspiration from Michel Foucault, U. Kalpagam has provided a fascinating account of the way the colonial state of British India was formed as an administration producing modern scientific discourses, through which it introduced Western conceptions of space, time, measure, reason, and causality. This book contains a wealth of historical material.''

for Kalpagam's book, click here

Praise for Salman Sayyid's ''Recalling the Caliphate: Decolonisation and World Order''

"S. Sayyid has written a highly insightful exploration of Muslim identity ("the ummah") in the modern world. Unlike many who have pontificated on Islam and Muslims, Sayyid is very well informed on Islamicate and European history, and has an impressive command of contemporary critical theory. The result is an excellent book."

For Salman Sayyid's book, click here

Talal Asad's ''Reflections on Violence, Law and Humanitarianism'' at Critical Inquiry

Prof. Asad's paper Reflections on Violence, Law and Humanitarianism appeared online at Critical Inquiry. Read Here

Details of the event in which the paper was discussed together with Aamir Mufti's and Gil Anidjar's responses are available here

Special Talal Asad Issue by Bulletin for the Study of Religion (2014)

Prof. Asad's Genealogies in its 20th year is still informing and enriching perspectives on religion. A special section of 'Bulletin for the Study of Religion' with five articles and an interview with Prof. Asad is out

For Prof. Asad's interview please click

To download all the articles: download

Rethinking “Religion and Politics”: Reflections on the Reception and Import of Talal Asad’s Genealogies of Religion
Richard Amesbury

Speaking the Impossible 'No'
Robert Anthony Orsi

Genealogies of Religion, Twenty Years On: An Interview with Talal Asad
Craig Martin , Talal Asad

The Occupy Movement, Religion and Social Formations	,
Matt K. Sheedy

Weber, Geertz, and Ricoeur on Explanation and Interpretation
Robert A. Segal

Our Peculiar Institution: 12 Years a Slave, American Protestantism, and the Erotics of Racism
Donovan Schaefer

An International Symposium in Honor of Talal Asad at AUB (9/2014)

This september witnessed a great celebration of Prof. Asad's works at AUB which will hopefully turn into a collection of essays.

The Idea of Islam Today: Towards Non-Orientalist Genealogies

An International Symposium in Honor of Talal Asad Inaugurating its new program in Islamic Studies, the AUB is hosting an international symposium in honor of Talal Asad entitled "The Idea of Islam Today: Towards Non-Orientalist Genealogies." Talal Asad is perhaps best known for his interventions in the anthropology of religion and secularism, but his theoretical reflections are not bound by disciplinary strictures. Encompassing texts and translation, law, ethics, war, history, political economy, humanitarianism, postcolonial studies, as well as contemporary politics, Asad’s work has been critical in shaping a generation of scholars from across the academy. As it celebrates the work of this inspiring scholar, the meeting aims to think through the idea of Islam in and from the region. For the full program click HERE

Praise for M. Fernando's ''Republic Unsettled''

Blurb for The Republic Unsettled: Muslim French and the Contradictions of Secularism

"This wonderful book about French secularism combines rich and sensitive ethnography with original argument and analysis. Mayanthi L. Fernando contends that the so-called problem of integrating Muslim immigrants from North Africa into French secular society tells us much about the questionable assumptions underlying French nationalist discourse on secular republicanism. This is an important contribution not only to the study of contemporary France but also to the theoretical debates on secularism. Essential reading for anyone interested in either."