The editors of the Enzyklopädie Migration in Europa. Vom 17. Jahrhundert bis zur Gegenwart (Munich, 2007) coined the phrase homo migrans to describe the phenomenon of human migration. This... Show moreThe editors of the Enzyklopädie Migration in Europa. Vom 17. Jahrhundert bis zur Gegenwart (Munich, 2007) coined the phrase homo migrans to describe the phenomenon of human migration. This collaboration of German and Dutch historians was prompted by the current debate in their respective countries over Moroccan and Turkish immigration. This massive volume, however, covers only the past three centuries of migration including both to and from Europe. Show less
The relationship between the phenomena of modernity and religion has exercised scholars in many fields over recent decades. For example, one of the original exponents of the secularization paradigm... Show moreThe relationship between the phenomena of modernity and religion has exercised scholars in many fields over recent decades. For example, one of the original exponents of the secularization paradigm in the late 1950s and 1960s, sociologist Peter Berger, had, by the end of the millennium, recanted his earlier position saying: 'The big mistake, which I shared with everyone who worked in this area... was to believe that modernity necessarily leads to a decline in religion.' Steve Bruce, sociologist and firm adherent of the secularization thesis, quotes this statement in an article in which he attempts to rescue Berger from the folly of his recantation.1 While Bruce's view may now be regarded as 'unfashionable' in sociology of religion circles, echoes of the 'modernity-religion' dichotomy are very much present in studies related to modernity, contemporary Islam, and fundamentalism. Show less
To even the casual observer, public education in Pakistan appears to be in a state of crisis. On a recent trip to Islamabad and Lahore, I noticed state-supported schools seemingly outnumbered by... Show moreTo even the casual observer, public education in Pakistan appears to be in a state of crisis. On a recent trip to Islamabad and Lahore, I noticed state-supported schools seemingly outnumbered by private 'schools' that have sprung up on almost every street corner. These are generally housed in a villa, a bungalow, or a couple of rooms in a building with a billboard and fancy title and logo advertising their wares; Leeds Academy or London College of IT were spotted amongst the forest of signs. Other education indicators reveal Pakistan lagging behind its neighbours in South Asia: it has the lowest literacy rate, the lowest female participation in education, the highest female primary school dropout rate, and the lowest enrolment in tertiary education. Show less
