American women missionaries in the Gulf: Agents for cultural change
Arabia has figured in Western imagination from a very early time, but seldom in neutral terms. For reasons not thoroughly understood, the Arab role in Western thinking has fluctuated between hope and menace, love and hate. While nineteenth-century Europe saw in Arabia a romantic adventure an illus...
| Published in: | Islam and Christian-Muslim relations |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic/Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge
[1998]
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| In: |
Islam and Christian-Muslim relations
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| Online Access: |
Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | Arabia has figured in Western imagination from a very early time, but seldom in neutral terms. For reasons not thoroughly understood, the Arab role in Western thinking has fluctuated between hope and menace, love and hate. While nineteenth-century Europe saw in Arabia a romantic adventure an illustration of the Victorian era nineteenth-century America viewed it differently. It saw an alternation between the images of the supposedly fanatical Islam that at one time overran the Christian world and a deprived contemporary society in need of Christian aid. Plainly, Western images of Arabia have been more changeable than the conditions of Arab life. Perhaps one reason for this love/hate, menace/hope attitude lies in the fact that Islamic civilization has been the great alternative to Christendom. Being so different and also so distant, Arabia seemed like a cultural incognito, a place where Americans could start their intercultural experience. Nothing would bring them a step closer to their goal than missionary work. |
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| ISSN: | 0959-6410 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Islam and Christian-Muslim relations
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/09596419808721160 |