Open AccessFeeling Betrayed
Author(s) -
Yushau Sodiq
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
american journal of islam and society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2690-3741
pISSN - 2690-3733
DOI - 10.35632/ajis.v30i1.1153
Subject(s) - feeling , democracy , ideal (ethics) , economic justice , islam , population , political science , law , sociology , gender studies , religious studies , psychology , demography , theology , social psychology , philosophy , politics
Steven Kull’s Feeling Betrayed is a great addition to the literature on whatmotivated the 9/11 attacks. His critical analysis is based upon hundreds of interviewsconducted by international polling agencies in Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan,Turkey, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. Participantswere Sunni and Shi‘i, men and women, as well as Islamists, modernists, andsecularists. The nine-chapter book contains charts designed to facilitate readercomprehension of the data presented. Among his findings are the following:(1) Muslims perceive the United States as dominant, exploitive, oppressive,and undermining of their values and cultures; (2) Washington talks about promotingdemocracy in the Muslim world but supports military regimes andmonarchies; (3) it undercuts democracy and social justice by telling Arab leaderswhat to do; and (4) it does not live up to its ideal values. Unfortunately, hebases his very frequent sweeping generalizations (viz., “Muslims in …. say”)on the words of a minute fraction of the global Muslim population. In fact,many other polls reveal that millions of Muslims hold a positive image of theUnited States ...