The Influence of Human Mobility in Muslim Societies

This volume explores various aspects of human mobility--both spatial and social--in Muslim societies from the earliest Islamic period to present times. In general, high mobility has been observed among Muslims throughout their history. The pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five religious duties, and many Muslim travellers, such as Ibn Battuta, voyaged through vast areas of the known world. However, the social and political impact of their movements or their being forced to move has rarely been analyzed from a multi-disciplinary approach. Researchers specializing in history, literature, anthropology, sociology and politics from eight countries contributed their insights on the mobility of both Muslims and non-Muslims in this multi-faceted volume, which will shed new light on the meaning of mobility and the movement of human beings in the even more globalized world of today.