Publisher's Synopsis
In our contemporary globalized society, where contact between different groups and societies on many social levels is as common as never before, questions of conflict, prejudice, interaction and adaptation are of primary importance. One abundant source to such cultural encounters is the history of the Near East. Whether as a result of war or peaceful contact, they provide for numerous interpretations of just how individuals and societies have historically approached the other, be it traders, nomads, religious movements, ethnic groups or conquering armies. The contributions to this anthology aim to discuss and establish meaningful analytical categories for the description and understanding of cultural encounters by way of both theoretical discussions and the presentation of empirical material. The cases presented in this book come from a range of different fields of research within the overall history of the Near East, including Mesopotamian history, the impact of Hellenism in Central Asia and the Near East, and the spread of Islam.
