Knowledge, Authority, and Islamic Education in the West: Reonfiguring Tradition
Drawing on immersive fieldwork in the United States, Canada, and Turkey, this ethnographic exploration illuminates the transformative experiences of emerging adult Muslims on their quest for religious knowledge. This book unravels the significance of four residential learning settings, revealing their role as catalysts for reshaping Islamic tradition. Delving into the interplay between technology’s pervasive influence and the decentralized nature of Islamic interpretation, Zainab Kabba unveils a vibrant tapestry of knowledge producers vying to shape religious understanding and practice among Western Muslims.
““This daring and path-setting book makes significant contributions to the fields of Islamic education and American studies. Rigorous and thought-provoking, Dr. Zainab Kabba presents an incisive analysis and critique of what she terms the ‘Muslim Education Industrial Complex’. In so doing, she forces us to reconsider the assumptions, pedagogies, and cultures of public education models, while asking bold questions to help forge a new path forward. I plan to use this book in courses on Islamic education and Islam in America. I expect that students will feel both enriched and challenged by its critical analysis, and perhaps begin to think and build learning communities in innovative, and yet unforeseen, ways.””