The spiritual heritage of the human race

an introduction to the world's religions

Drawing on religious and spiritual traditions of the past and the present, Professor Suheil Bushrui, in collaboration with Mehrdad Massoudi, Michael Dravis, James Madaio, and Michael Russo, explores the commonalities of religions while respecting the differences that make each spiritual path distinct. In doing so ...

Key themes for the study of Islam

Edited by Jamal J. Elias. From Gender and History to Prayer and Prophecy, Key Themes for the Study of Islam examines the central themes indispensable to an informed understanding of Islamic religion and society. With each authoritative chapter written by a world expert in that ...

Oilopoly

Putin, Power and the Rise of the New Russia

A story of oil and gas, corruption and naked power, Oilopoly traces the rise of the Russian oil economy from its origins in the nineteenth century right through to Vladimir Putin#s determined efforts to rein in the oil oligarchs, re-nationalize Russia#s industries, and ...

Understanding religion

a thematic approach

Drawing from all major religious traditions in the world, as well as a variety of non-religious disciplines such as psychology, philosophy and sociology, Momen's study is an innovative, thematic presentation of the role of religion in society, covering everything from art and history to ...

The crucifixion and the Qur´an

a study in the History of Muslim thought

According to the majority of modern Muslims and Christians, the Qur'an denies the crucifixion of Jesus, and with it, one of the most sacred beliefs of Christianity. However, it is only mentioned in one verse - 'They did not kill him and they did not ...

Russia

a short history

From the emergence of the first Slavic state to the conflict in Chechnya and the policies of Vladimir Putin, this is a concise yet thoughtful guide to the complex and turbulent history of Russia and its people. Paying particular attention to the implications of a ...

Islamic philosophy

a beginner´s guide

From the introduction of Greek Philosophy into the Muslim world in the eighth century right through to modern times, this book charts the evolution and interaction of philosophy, theology, and mysticism in the Islamic context. Highlighting key individuals, movements, concepts and writings, Fakhry also explores ...

Oilopoly

Putin, power and the rise of the new Russia

Financially crippled and besieged by political crises following the fall of the Soviet Union, it looked as if Russia's days as a superpower had come and gone. That it should recover and go on to accumulate the world's third-largest holdings of foreign currency ...

The Buddha

a beginner´s guide

Today the Buddha is honoured throughout the world as one of the great religious figures in the history of humankind. His greatness lies in his teachings, and in the religious community that he founded, but also in his exemplary life story. In this authoritative biography ...

The Qur´an

a beginner´s guide

Arguably the most powerful book in the world it has spoken to Muslims for over one thousand years; it is lawmaker, moral code, and the word of God. Drawing on both contemporary and ancient sources, Esack outlines the key themes and explains the historical and ...

Philosophy of religion

a beginner´s guide

Isaac Asimov said that 'whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse'. Such quandaries are the bread and butter of philosophy of religion. Questioning why evil exists, whether God could create a stone he couldn't lift, and ...

Islam and the west

the making of an image

This classic study by Norman Daniel explores the political and religious considerations behind distorted western views of Islam, examining Christian-Muslim interaction from medieval times to the modern world. First published over 30 years ago, the message within this great scholarly achievement is more relevant today ...

Modern slavery

the secret world of 27 million people

There are 27 million slaves alive today - more than at any point in history. This number is also greater than the total population stolen from Africa during four centuries of the transatlantic slave trade. Written by the world's leading experts and campaigners, this book ...

The Middle East

a beginner´s guide

The Middle East is notoriously complex and difficult. This compact book on the topic by the University of Oxford's leading expert does not shirk the challenge. Organised thematically, and dealing with all the pivotal issues in the region, from oil and religion, to gender ...

The cold war

a beginner´s guide

For nearly half a century the world was divided in two, wrenched apart by superpowers that perceived the nations of the world only as either capitalist or communist. The Cold War was a battle not of weapons but rather of minds, fought by intelligence agencies ...

The French Revolution

a beginner´s guides

Blending narrative with analysis, Peter Davies explores a time of obscene opulence, mass starvation, and ground-breaking ideals; where the streets of Paris ran red with blood, and the numbers requiring execution precipitated the invention of the guillotine. Davies brings the subject up to date by ...

Seeds of terror

how heroin is Bankrolling the Taliban and al Qaeda

Seeds of Terror will reshape the way you think about the West#s enemies, revealing them less as ideologues and more as criminals who earn half a billion pounds every year off the opium trade. With the breakneck pace of a thriller, author Gretchen Peters ...

Libya

from colony to independence

Since a bloodless coup in 1969, Libya has become synonymous with Mu'ammar al-Qaddafi, the charismatic leader Nelson Mandela dubbed one of the revolutionary icons of our time. However, falling prey to empire- builders from the ancient Greeks to Mussolini's Italy, Libya was embroiled ...

Medieval Philosophy

Why do good things happen to bad people? Can we prove whether God exists? What is the difference between right and wrong? Medieval Philosophers were centrally concerned with such questions: questions which are as relevant today as a thousand years ago when the likes of ...

Existentialism

a beginner's guide

Using classic films, novels, and plays, Thomas E. Wartenberg explores the central ideas of Existentialism including freedom, authenticity, anxiety, and the Absurd. As well as discussing the ideas of such legendary thinkers as Nietzsche, Camus, and Sartre, Wartenberg shows how Simone de Beauvoir and Franz ...