Impossible State - Islam, Politics, and Modernity''s Moral Predicament

Wael B. Hallaq boldly argues that the Islamic state, judged by any standard definition of what the modern state represents, is both impossible and inherently self-contradictory. Comparing the legal, political, moral, and constitutional histories of premodern Islam and Euro-America, he finds the adoption and practice of the modern state to be highly problematic for modern Muslims. He also critiques more expansively modernitys moral predicament, which renders impossible any project resting solely on ethical foundations.

List of contents

Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Premises
2. The Modern State
3. Separation of Powers: Rule of Law or Rule of the State?
4. The Legal
5. The Political Subject and Moral Technologies of the Self
6. Beleaguering Globalization and Moral Economy
7. The Central Domain of the Moral
Notes
Glossary of Key Terms
Bibliography
Index

About the author

Wael B. Hallaq is the Avalon Foundation Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University. Hallaq's research spans several fields, including law, legal theory, philosophy, political theory, and logic, and his publications include The Impossible State: Islam, Politics, and Modernity's Moral Predicament, Shari'a: Theory, Practice, Transformations; An Introduction to Islamic Law; and Authority, Continuity, and Change in Islamic Law. His works have been translated into several languages, including Arabic, Indonesian, Hebrew, Japanese, Persian, Turkish, and Russian.

Report

"A philosophical and rhetorical tour de force." - Choice

Product details

• Authors: Wael Hallaq, Wael (Columbia University) Hallaq, Wael B Hallaq, Wael B. Hallaq
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.10.2014
• EAN: 9780231162579
• ISBN: 978-0-231-16257-9
• No. of pages: 272
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Other religions; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; Internationale Beziehungen, Geschichte, Islam, Politikwissenschaft, Politische Strukturen und Prozesse, Religiöse und theokratische Ideologien, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Ideologies / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, RELIGION / Islam / General, Political structure & processes, Religious and theocratic ideologies, Political structure and processes, Religious & theocratic ideologies, Islam; religion