The great confrontation

"Ilya Gaiduk's The Great Confrontation offers a comparative approach to the long and complex history of relations between Europe and Islam, from the early seventh century to the present day. The book differs from other works in its greater emphasis on Russia as part of European civilization and on Russian relations with Islam. Mr. Gaiduk argues that twentieth-century developments have made "the great confrontation" a phenomenon of the past, that in today's interrelated and interdependent world, lines of division run not between different civilizations but between civilization and the ills that threaten it - poverty, environmental pollution, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism. The success of the West in combating these ills depends upon the cooperation of different societies and cultures, not their antagonism. Illustrated with engravings and maps."--BOOK JACKET.