orientalism

The Reception of Buddhism in Russia and the “Russian Asiaphiles” in the Late 19th — early 20th Century

The article discusses the main factors and trends of Buddhism’s reception in Russia. The author highlights both internal sociocultural and religious interest within the Russian intelligentsia, and the interest to cultures of India, Tibet and China in the context of the political events of the time.

“Islamic Reformation”: Positive Project or Artificial Concept?

Today the concept of “Islamic Reformation” acts as a universal framework for a large number of research projects within the field of Islamic and Muslim studies. This theory, mediated by Western modernization theory, claims a comprehensive understanding of Islamic reality and thus attracts many researchers. However, this universality results in a lack of attention to some important areas, which stimulates criticism from experts on Islam.

On Bryan S. Turner’s Anti-Orientalist Sociology of Islam

The article makes an overview of the work of Bryan Stanley Turner, prominent expert on Islam and the author of an original theory as reflected in his papers recently put together in the volume called «Sociology of Islam». The crucial point of most of the chapters included in the volume is a thorough analysis of Orientalism and its implications to current Islamic Studies.