by Jon Lackman | 26 June 2006 | Books, Islamic
Reviewing Oleg Grabar’s Early Islamic Art, 650–1100, “the first of four volumes that will contain the collected essays of the doyen of Islamic scholars,” David Carrier writes in CAA Reviews: “One reason this volume is important is that it reprints major scholarly essays. Another is that it responds in a scholarly way to immediately pressing political concerns. Until we understand the history of Islamic culture, how can we Americans respond effectively and morally to our ongoing conflicts with Muslims? … But even the crisis of 9/11 did not inspire our shortsighted politicians to support the study of Islamic culture. Nor, so far as I can see, have universities in the United States mounted serious ambitious attempts to study Islamic art, which, apart from mere politics, deserves attention because it is very beautiful and poses intellectually challenging problems.”
