Syed Farid Alatas is een Maleisische auteur en academicus wiens werk zich verdiept in de sociologie van de islam, sociale theorie, religie en hervorming. Zijn onderzoek verkent interreligieuze dialoog, met een huidige focus op het salafisme in de Maleisische wereld. Alatas' benadering benadrukt een diepgaand begrip van maatschappelijke en religieuze stromingen en hun onderlinge wisselwerking.
Focusing on Ibn Khaldun's contributions to sociology, the book explores the reasons behind his marginalization in contemporary discourse. It highlights his theories and offers strategies for integrating his insights into modern sociological frameworks, aiming to elevate his significance within the field.
Read nearly 50 years after its original publication, this extended essay on Raffles reads as fresh and relevant. Presented here for a new audience, it sets out the key elements of the debate in understanding Raffles' own political philosophy through the record of his actions, not just in Singapore, but in Southeast Asia.
By introducing non-Western and female perspectives, this book critiques the traditional sociological canon, highlighting biases of Eurocentrism and androcentrism. It examines both well-known 'founding fathers' and overlooked thinkers, challenging the notion that only Western European and North American males contributed to sociological theory in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. With a global scope, it aims to restructure the understanding of classical sociology and serves as a valuable teaching resource for students exploring its development.