Book

Global Muslims in the Age of Steam and Print

by James L. Gelvin, Nile Green

📖 Overview

Global Muslims in the Age of Steam and Print examines how new technologies in the nineteenth century transformed Muslim societies and religious practices across the world. The book focuses specifically on the impact of steam-powered travel and printing press innovations during a pivotal period of modernization. A collection of scholarly essays explores different regions including the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and beyond, analyzing how Muslims adapted to and utilized these technological changes. The authors investigate the spread of religious texts, the movement of pilgrims to Mecca, and the evolution of Islamic intellectual networks during this era of rapid development. The book reveals intersections between technological advancement and religious identity in the modern era, while highlighting the complex ways Muslim communities navigated change. Through examination of primary sources and historical records, the text demonstrates how innovations in transportation and communication reshaped Islamic practices and communities across continents. Through its global scope and technological focus, the work provides insight into broader themes about modernity, religion, and the profound effects of industrial developments on faith communities and cultural exchange. The collection challenges simplistic narratives about Islam's relationship with modernization and technological progress.

👀 Reviews

Readers note this is an academic text focused on how Muslims engaged with new technologies in the 19th century, particularly through the lens of print culture and transportation advances. Positives: - Clear organization and readability for an academic work - Inclusion of case studies from various regions like South Asia and Southeast Asia - Detailed analysis of how Muslim communities adapted to modernization Negatives: - Some sections described as overly dense with academic jargon - A few readers wished for more coverage of West African Muslim experiences - Several note the price is high for a paperback academic text Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (8 ratings) Amazon: No ratings available One academic reviewer on Goodreads wrote: "Strong collection of essays examining Muslim responses to technological change, though somewhat uneven in coverage across regions." No broad consumer reviews are available online as this is primarily used in university settings.

📚 Similar books

Connected Communities by James Hoesterey and Johan Knibbe A study of how transportation and media transformed Muslim networks across Asia and Africa in the colonial period.

Empire and Islam by Francis Robinson An examination of how print technology shaped Islamic discourse and religious authority in British India.

The Republic of Arabic Letters by Alexander Bevilacqua A history of how European scholars and Muslim intellectuals exchanged knowledge through print networks in the 18th century.

Print Culture and the First Yoruba Novel by Karin Barber An analysis of how print culture transformed Muslim and Christian literary traditions in West Africa.

Technology and Religious Change by Johan Elverskog A comparative study of how railways, printing presses, and telegraphs reshaped Buddhist and Muslim communities across Asia.

🤔 Interesting facts

🌏 The book examines how 19th-century technological innovations, particularly steam travel and printing, connected Muslim communities across the globe in unprecedented ways 🚂 Steam-powered transportation allowed Muslims from different regions to perform the Hajj pilgrimage more easily, leading to increased cultural exchange between diverse Islamic communities 📚 The rise of print culture in the Muslim world led to the standardization of religious texts and created new forms of religious authority outside traditional scholarly circles 🗞️ Muslim reformers used newly available printing presses to publish newspapers and journals that spread modern religious and political ideas throughout Asia, Africa, and the Middle East 🌐 The authors demonstrate how these technological changes helped create a more unified global Muslim consciousness while simultaneously highlighting regional differences and local interpretations of Islam