Anti-americanism in the Islamic World

Anti-Americanism is a far from homogenous phenomenon, even in the Islamic world, where the press would sometimes want to convince us that there is a near-unanimous hostility to the USA. This book, by dint of on-the-ground research into Muslim views of the 'Great Satan', shows that far more sophisticated explanations are called for. The contributions to this book range widely over the underlying causes, manifestations, and recent development of anti-Americanism in the Middle East, the Maghreb, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. Among the topics discussed are the historical antecedents of fear or hatred of America, the cultural and economic aspirations that bind many Muslims to the American model despite entrenched prejudices and official attitudes, and the diversity of opinion on the costs and benefits of emulating the American way of life. From this account emerge opportunities for mutual respect between the U.S. and its critics.