Provides analyses of Islam and its relation to issues such as identities, politics, culture, power and gender. This book argues that Islam needs to be studied as a living religion through the observation of everyday Muslim life. It is useful for those interested in investigating the unsettled place of Islam in our multicultural society.

An increasing number of people have questions about Islam and Muslims. But how can we approach and study Islam after September 11th? Which is the best methodology to understand an Islam that is changing in a globalized world? "The Anthropology of Islam" argues that Islam today needs to be studied as a living religion through the observation of everyday Muslim life. Drawing on extensive original fieldwork, Marranci provides provocative analyses of Islam and its relation to issues such as identities, politics, culture, power and gender. "The Anthropology of Islam" is unprecedented in its innovative and challenging discussion about fieldwork among Muslims, and its ethnographically based interpretations of contemporary aspects of Islam in a post-September 11th society. The book will appeal to those in anthropology and beyond who see and are interested in investigating the unsettled place of Islam in our multicultural society.

1. Introduction 2. Islam, Beliefs, History and Rituals 3. From Studying Islam to Studying Muslims 4. Studying Muslims in the West: Before and After September 11th 5. From the Exotic to the Familiar: Anamneses of Fieldwork among Muslims 6. Beyond the Stereotype: Challenges in Understanding Muslim Identities 7. The Ummah Paradox 8. The Dynamics of Genders in Islam 9. Conclusion