NewsMine — war-on-terror — mideast-misc — history — Viewing Item

Europe learned civilized arts from islamic world Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/jan/lewis/020103.lewis.html http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/jan/lewis/020103.lewis.html What Went Wrong? Scholar Portrays Islamic World as Culture in Turmoil Jan. 3, 2002 -- In the summer of 1683, the Ottoman Turks laid siege to Vienna, Austria, but were repelled and later defeated by an alliance of Christian European states. Historian Bernard Lewis calls that defeat a turning point for Islam -- and the beginning of centuries of culture clashes between Europe and the Middle East. Lewis, an emeritus professor at Princeton University, explores the decline of Islamic culture in a new book, What Went Wrong? Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response. The central premise of the book is likely to stir fierce debate, because it describes an Islamic world trying to catch up with the Western world for 400 years. In an interview with All Things Considered senior host Robert Siegel, Lewis talks about how events centuries ago still resonate within the Islamic community. He contends that current events in much of the Islamic world are fueled by a desire for retaliation, and suspicion of European and American motives. While Europe was mired in the Dark Ages, Lewis says, the Islamic world flourished with art, music, science and military might. But Europe gradually made its own mark on the "civilized arts" -- thanks in part to what it learned from the Islamic world. In the meantime, Islamic countries began to sink militarily, politically and economically, Lewis says. Lewis, an acclaimed Near East scholar, has written more than two dozen books. But this latest book, coming so soon after Sept. 11, is especially provocative, with passages such as this: “If the peoples of the Middle East continue on their present path, the suicide bomber may become a metaphor for the whole region, and there will be no escape from a downward spiral of hate and spite, rage and self-pity, poverty and oppression, culminating sooner or later in yet another alien domination; perhaps from a new Europe reverting to old ways, perhaps from a resurgent Russia, perhaps from some new, expanding superpower in the East."

Europe learned civilized arts from islamic world Muslims flourished during european dark ages Npr guest says statue of liberty originally arab { January 29 2007 } Files Listed: 3

Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security Archives

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information, go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.