In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong

Dr. Morgan was able to weave her story effectively without the dense shibboleth of her scholarship. Her family nucleus is complete and coherent after all her trials and tribulation. Shiny example of what ought to be. I really liked the very first pre introduction page . Like a nice jazz introductory tease , it kept me captivated. Navigating her conversational style of penmanship, I will say it was obvious to me she was always cerebral, carries the inherent tools for success in addition to her sense of “true north”. Inspirational read!

How does globalization change our perspective of who we are and what we want? In the words of Amin Maalouf… “In fact, we are all infinitely closer to our contemporaries than to our ancestors... I have a lot more in common with a passerby picked from the streets of Prague, Seoul or San Francisco, than I do with my own great-grandfather...in my moral framework, my styles of thinking.” This is but one of many short paragraphs in a book that forcefully challenges our thinking about how we decide who we are as individuals and groups and why we behave toward each other as we do. What is the relationship of our cultural specialness to what we have in common? The book is full of cultural street sense which foster embracing diversity, engendering respect and helping us face our fears about it, for example, Maalouf points out that, “The more an immigrant feels his culture of origin respected, the more he will open himself to the culture that has received him.” How do we respect our cultures and their legitimate aspirations and find the balance between culturally diverse richness that is spread by today’s mobility and globalization and the banal sameness that our media and thin thinking seem to engender instead? There is not an easy answer, but In the Name of Identity makes it possible for us to see and work with the dilemma in ourselves and in our society. Amin Maalouf is certainly a seer. After 9/11 it is hard to believe that this book was written before those events. The author asserts that, “In each of us there exists a Mr Hyde, and our most important task is to prevent those conditions from coming together that bring the monster out.” Unfortunately they have come together and we are now faced with its terror on a day-to-day basis. Mr Hyde is now on the loose like never before. This author’s wisdom about how we use our identities to define ourselves against each other in deadly ways may lead us to insights to help contain the monster of our own reactions to the unfamiliar in each other as well as make wise choices about diversity in our organizations and public policies. I would have to rank In the Name of Identity in the top five books that I have read in the last decade. It is also available as: Les Identités meurtrières , Le livre de poche, Paris Mörderische Identitäten, Taschenbuch, Suhrkamp. Les identitats que maten. Per una mundialització que respecti la diversitat. Barcelona: Edicions La Campana Identitades asesinas. Alianza Editorial, Madrid As identidades assassinas, Lisboa, Ed. Difel, 2000 L'identità, Ed. Bompiani, Cortina (Torino)

. This pre-9/11 book remains fresh and important today. Maalouf, who is Lebanese by birth and French by citizenship, examines the importance of how both individuals and groups identify themselves in the modern world. Maalouf is both Arab and Christian, and his family was Christian long before Christianity made its way to the Western world. To pin people in boxes based on their ethnicity or on their religion is both foolish and dangerous. Maalouf captures this thought succinctly, stating: "...it is often the way we look at other people that imprisons them within their own narrower allegiances. And it is also the way we look at them that may set the, free." [pg 22] "People often see themselves in terms of whichever one of their allegiances is most under attack." [pg 26] One of the most fascinating points Maalouf makes is that in this world of rapid global communication we are living in an age of both harmony and dissonance. As the peoples of the world become more and more alike, it is a natural human reaction to cling to, and insist upon, those elements of our culture that make us special and unique. "Mistrust," he says, "is undoubtedly one of the keywords of our age." He reminds us that "the future is not written down anywhere. The future will be what we make it." [pg 98] His hope for the world, and for his family, is that someday his grandson will marvel that "in his grandfather's day such things still needed to be said." [pg 164]. This a thoughtful and well-written book that should be required reading in every sociology and World History course, and a top choice among thinking people everywhere. Kim Burdick Stanton, DE

In The Name Of Identity is a great short book for you if you are interested in learning about ethnocentrism and are into social studies and social psychology. Amim Maalouf writes in a simple and clear way and shares his personal experiences on how ethnocentrism has affected his life. Origins, culture, traditions, and religious believes are part of our identity. In this modern world of ours, these are very often subject to challenge from others. Here is a first hand account on how to understand those challenges, how to feel about them and, moreover, what an appropriate response one can give.

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This book was interesting because it delves into how identity plays a critical role in shaping religious, ethnic and sectarian violence in conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. This book is a must for people to reconcile their ethnic and religious differences. Amin Maalouf having a diverse background linguistically and religiously shows how it affect him as a person. Good book that delves into a interesting topic.

A clear and well laid out examination of the human need to establish a group identity, the problems it creates (using real life modern examples like Yugoslavia and Rwanda), along with encouragement for overcoming the poisonous atmosphere created by "us vs. them" thinking. Very timely all the time, unfortunately, but especially timely as I compose this, the day after the Charleston church massacre.

This book is a MUST READ for anyone who is wondering what has brought the world into the violent, chaotic mess it is in now. Mr. Maalouf' s remarkably insightful analysis pinpoints the cause of universal unrest and hostility so clearly and simply, you' ll wonder why you were ever confused in the first place.

Answers many unasked questions about the concept of identity.

so logic, so simple. you even wonder how you did not think of it till now. if you are Christian Arab, Jewish Iranian, Cambogian French or fed up of being German or Greek, read it.

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The considerations presented in the first part of this short book are thought-provoking. However I did not give the book five stars as the concluding chapter was very weak on its suggested solutions to the problems that face our modern world in the form of a cruel terrorism whose protagonists owe allegiance to neither nation, ethnicity, religion nor even ideology. Clearly what we have in the disappointingly failed Arab Spring especially as it is being played out in Iraq-Syria and Libya does not have a quick fix. The 'International Community' or UNO clearly has a responsibility to the people in the conflict areas but also to those fleeing from them. In both failure is more obvious than success. Strategies must not be based on political expediency but a fundamentally moral/ethical stance that builds on the human and humane qualities present in all nations. That strategy was not developed in any realistic way by Amin Maalouf.

Great on how fluid history is - and how Islam has more history of tolerance than Christianity does. But ways forward seem too idealistic to me. And to ignore economic, social and educational inequalities.