Abstract
This paper discusses the concepts and tenets of the Islam religion. The author gives a detailed analysis of the faith, prayers, holidays, holy sites and fundamental beliefs of the Islamic people.

From the Paper
"Islam is a religion based upon the surrender to God who is One. The name of the religion, Islam, in Arabic, means submission and peace. The message of Islam concerns God, who in Arabic is called Allah, and it addresses itself to humanity's nature. It concerns men and women as they were created by God not as fallen beings. Islam considers itself to be not an innovation but a reassertion of the universal truth of all revelation, which is God's oneness."

Tags:mecca, muhammad, muslim, koran, ritual, religion

Abstract
The Kurds have had a long history of ethnic conflict in the middle East. This paper explores their history with a focus on attempts by other nations to self-assimilate them into different cultures. The paper also provides possible solutions to the struggles.

From the Paper
"Situated at the junction between the modern West and the traditionally Islamic Middle East, lies Turkey: a country in great transition, but also dire internal conflict. Turkey, unlike other predominately Islamic countries in Asia, is on its way to establishing a legitimate democracy, a strong economy comparable to those of the West, and possibly becoming a member of the European Union. But Turkey's internal conflict stands to jeopardize everything they've worked for. Like the majority of states in the world, Turkey is multinational. Yet, the leaders of the country have perpetually refuted this fact. They have denied the existence of any distinct ethnic group not falling under the classification of ?Turks.? Turkey is home to an entirely different subculture of peoples called the Kurds. The Kurds consider themselves Turks, but also maintain their own ethnic identity separate from the rest of Turkey. They have their own culture, language, and history. The Kurds in Turkey have struggled for almost a century to retain their individuality, while the country of Turkey has struggled to maintain an image of freedom, democracy, and domestic stability in eyes of the Western World."

Tags:turkey, culture, assimilation, acculturation, racial

Abstract
This paper is a detailed discussion of Islamic criminal law, its sources, its application, and its conflict with international law and human rights. The author examines both primary and secondary sources of Islamic law, and describes Hudud, Tazir and Qesas crime and punishment. The paper also focuses on the historical background of Muslim law.

From the paper:

?Islam means ?submission? or ?surrender? to the will of Allah. For the more than one billion Muslims of the world, this means submission to a comprehensive code of law governing every arena of life: social, political, economic, and religious. In Islam there is no separation of church and state, no distinction between religion and politics; Government, law, and religion are unified. Some would argue that Islamic law is not fully practiced in any part of the Islamic world. While this may be true, twenty-three nations have either declared Islam to be the state religion or declared the religious writings of Islam to be the principal source of law.?

Tags:crime, criminal, islam, law, legal, muslim, religion, world, shi'ite, iccpr, united, nations

Abstract
This paper attempts to find a solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. It covers these areas:

The Issue
Background to the Tensions and the Present State of the Conflict:
Justification for Continued Israeli Occupation
Past US Role in the Israeli Palestine Conflict
Possible Reasons for the American Administration's Current Inaction
Saudi Peace Plan
Recent UN Resolution
A Proposal to Resolve the Problem

From the Paper
"As violence escalates in Palestine, the intractable problem becomes even more intractable. Intense fighting between Israelis and Palestinians, the most intense inside the borders of the former Palestine since Israel's creation in 1948, are claiming a daily toll in double digits. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's increasingly tough tactics are exacerbating the conflict. A war of attrition is going on that has the potential to escalate into an all out regional war."

Tags:sharon, arafat, america, arab, intifada, oslo, accord, terrorism, middle, east, peacemaking, un

Abstract
The paper shows that the central research question addressed by Lila Abu-Lughod in her book "Veiled Sentiments" is how women and young men may express certain personal feelings that otherwise violate their moral code, the code conveyed to them by their social group. The paper discusses how the Bedouin society she studies is one where people often sang or used short poems to express their feelings and how the author notes that the question that arises concerns the relationship between the Bedouin poetic discourse and the discourse of ordinary social life.

From the Paper
"The world depicted by Abu-Lughod is a society based on blood ties above all, both linking people to the past and to one another in the present. In approaching this society, Abu-Lughod first had to divest herself of certain romantic notions of Bedouin life. She believed that the people were tied to the sea, but she found that the sea played little or no part in their social life and that it was the desert which was central in their thinking. She was also surprised to find that the people lived in houses instead of tents, though they did pitch their tents next to the houses and spent most of their time in the tents."

Tags:modesty, blood, ties, ethnographer

Abstract
This paper analyzes the conflicts between the new economic world and the traditional cultures. "Jihad" refers to the cultures that focus more on traditional values. It does not simply refer to the Islamic notion of the word, but includes anyone who is opposed to the new modern west. Jihad is slow, personal, and stagnant. "McWorld" is the over-all notion of the consumerist west. McWorld is fast-paced, information-based and ever changing. Members within McWorld are in favor of individual rights and personal advancement over the culture as a whole. The paper concludes that Jihad and McWorld must learn to work together all over the world.

From the Paper
"In his book, 'Jihad vs. McWorld', Benjamin Barber takes a view of the new economic world as it relates to those cultures that are hanging on to traditional values. There is a basic conflict between these two ideologies: tribal control vs. technological and economic upward mobility. Barber describes each these two schools of thought, and how they work for and against each other."

Tags:barber, benjamin, capitalism, jihad, terrorism, economic, traditional, values, cultures, McWorld

Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that the Middle East is plagued with terrorist organizations and that religious terrorist groups succumb to strong fanatical beliefs that Jews and Western allies are satanic and must be abolished at all costs. The writer points out that this has forced peaceful nations to prepare for terrorist attacks from such groups such as al-Qaeda, Hizbollah, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. The writer maintains that when examining the religion of Islam there are numerous similarities with western Christian beliefs; however, these terrorist groups have twisted the religion from peace to hatred. It is important for Western nations to understand these viewpoints to help establish public policy and military strategies. There is no doubt that the West is at war with various terrorist groups. Therefore it is critical to understand these groups and how they function. This paper examines religious terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hizbollah, al-Qaeda, and the Islamic Jihad. It discusses the hatred these groups have towards Israel and the West.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Two views of Islam and terrorism
The Iranian Revolution and Hizbollah's metamorphosis
The Islamic Jihad
Hamas
The rise of Osama Bin Ladin
Declaring war on the United States
Summary

From the Paper
"Osama Bin Ladin was a popular soldier in Afghanistan when at war with the Soviet Union. The Soviet retreat was a sign of God's power over Satan, and if God could bring down the Soviet Union through the work of the mujahadeen, other evil nations were doomed to destruction. After war with the Soviets, both Israel and the United States became prime targets for Osama Bin Ladin who is very popular with numerous Sunnis. This is ironic considering the United States CIA probably provided a great deal of resources to the armies fighting the Soviets such as the mujahadeen under Osama Bin Ladin. When the United States posted military personnel in Saudi Arabia, Osama Bin Ladin decided to attack."

Tags:al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hizbollah, Jihad

Abstract
This essay will explore Indian legislation concerning women and its impact on women and their children who marry out of the Indian society. A look at recent changes and implications for society.

From the Paper
"In June 1985, Parliament passed legislation, which ended over 100 years of discrimination in the Indian Act. These amendments commonly referred to as Bill C-31 respect three fundamental principals. First, the amendments exclude discriminatory conditions from the registration criteria from the Indian Act .For instance, Indian women no longer lost status through marriage to non-status Indian and a non-status woman can no longer gain status through marriage to Indian men. In recognition of the problems of discrimination contained within the Indian Act; the government chose to pass a law to eliminate the obstacles people had to endure. "

Tags:native, studies, women

Abstract
This paper examines the historical background of the conflict in the Middle East between Palestine and Israel, and notes that while this conflict is promoted in the media as being a relatively ?new? phenomenon that it is actually another stage in an ongoing conflict between these two peoples. Factors that are addressed as contributing to this conflict are those of religion and politics. There is a strong slant towards the Palestinians being unjustly vilified in the media. There is a brief mention of Osama bin Laden and his involvement in the conflict.

From the Paper
"The recent hostilities between the Palestinian and the Israeli people is a negative note in what had seemed to be progress in ending the ongoing conflict between these separate people. Prior to the events of violence that were started once more in the spring of last year, the Palestinian and the Israeli people were apparently working towards a position of peace in the Middle East. However, this was not to be. The existing social tensions between the Palestinian and the Israeli people was too deeply rooted within their histories and cultures to provide a simple solution, which the negotiations that were prevalent at the time were attempting to achieve. "

Tags:accord, arab, arafat, bin, jerusalem, jew, laden, muslim, nations, osama, oslo, united

From the Paper
"Newspapers, television, radio and Internet are the main sources that the public turns to when they want to be informed about issues that are taking place in the world around them. The media has been able to send out subliminal messages about minority groups and their actions. Mass media has portrayed Arabs as terrorists there by greatly influencing the way people look at them. The media manipulates, distorts and abuses the way people view Arabs by associating terrorist attacks with Arabs and Muslims. "

Tags:media