Ibn Khaldun, a dialectical philosopher for the 21st century [Ressource électronique]

After situating Ibn Khaldun in his historical context, I critically examine his views on topics relevant to contemporary discussions of identity. He was a dialectical thinker for whom spirit was a material force, a staunch advocate of justice (which indicated to him the need for a strong state), and a partisan in the struggle to ennoble the human species. I seek to illuminate his contributions to the forging of an understanding that is both spiritual and material. While universalizing themes of importance in his cultural tradition, I pay particular attention to the role of the individual and the place of the group. Ibn Khaldun's attention to group identity is one reason why his understanding of human beings is vital to a creative synthesis of tradition and (post)modernity. After situating Ibn Khaldun in his historical context, I critically examine his views on topics relevant to contemporary discussions of identity. He was a dialectical thinker for whom spirit was a material force, a staunch advocate of justice (which indicated to him the need for a strong state), and a partisan in the struggle to ennoble the human species. I seek to illuminate his contributions to the forging of an understanding that is both spiritual and material. While universalizing themes of importance in his cultural tradition, I pay particular attention to the role of the individual and the place of the group. Ibn Khaldun's attention to group identity is one reason why his understanding of human beings is vital to a creative synthesis of tradition and (post)modernity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of New Political Science is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)