Loading Events

Reviewer Meets Reviewed – The Charitable Crescent

November 25 @ 12:00 am

The Charitable Crescent: Politics of Aid in the Muslim World

Thursday November 25th 2010 @ 10 am (Tea & coffee served from 9:30)
Centre for Anthropology, British Museum

This is a free event.

The British Museum’s Centre for Anthropology, in collaboration with the Royal Anthropological Institute, is delighted to present for the first seminar of the series a discussion between, Jonathan Benthall, author of The Charitable Crescent and Dr Jon Mitchell who reviewed the work for the JRAI.

Since 9/11, Islamic charities have been in the firing line. Some portray the entire sector as a conduit for terrorist financing. In this new updated edition of their groundbreaking work, The Charitable Crescent, Jérôme Bellion-Jourdan and Jonathan Benthall provide a radical new perspective on the whole issue of aid and Islamic finance. They explore the social and political history of zakat and waqf, and in so doing challenge Western assumptions about the nature of humanitarianism.

The authors outline the impact of the “War on Terror,” and argue that obstacles set up against financial transfers in conflict zones can have the unintended result of driving terrorist financing further underground, as well as depriving victims of much needed assistance.

Islamic charities will continue to play a pivotal role in world politics as they respond to crises in the Middle East, Pakistan, Indonesia and elsewhere. This thoughtful and meticulously researched book is the one indispensable guide to the issues surrounding this complicated and misunderstood phenomenon.

Jonathan Benthall is the former director of the RAI (1974-2000) and founding editor of Anthropology Today.
Dr. Jon Mitchell is currently Reader in Social Anthropology at the University of Sussex.

Enquiries/Bookings: Jasmine Wakeel (jwakeel@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk)

How to give to the RAI

Your support makes all the difference to the RAI

The RAI needs your support. We are an independent charity dedicated to anthropology. Please can you help us with our essential work by making a donation today. With your support we can continue to deliver our inspiring online events programme and run our flagship events (London Anthropology Day, the RAI Film Festival and our international conferences). We can continue our essential support of anthropological research, to care for our archive, manuscript and photo collections and develop our education programmes to create globally informed citizens. Thank you for your interest in this event, we appreciate you supporting the RAI.

Have you considered becoming an RAI Fellow?

Many people from all over the world are affiliated to the RAI. We welcome anyone with an interest in the subject, whether working in an academic institution or not. Our affiliates include academic specialists, students, those working in fields where anthropology has practical applications, and those whose interest is captured by the subject matter of anthropology.

Join the RAI

Mailing list

Interested in news and updates from the RAI? Subscribe to our mailing list below.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name