In the nineteenth century, the Arab world was swept by a wave of modernity, challenging not only political and social structures but also religion. Liberal, radical, democratic, and secular conceptions spread. Various intellectuals engaged in a critical analysis of Islam, taking different approaches.
To contribute to understanding this phenomenon, Nessun Dogma (“No Dogmas”), the publishing project of the UAAR, is publishing today Skeptics of Islam. An Anthology Edited by Ralph M. Coury, the Italian translation of Skeptics of Islam: Revisionist Religion, Agnosticism, and Disbelief in the Modern Arab World, edited by Giulio Cesare Noghera, with a preface and transliteration of the Arabic terms by Marco Soave, professor of Arabic language and civilization. This book offers an introduction to the ideas of some Arab thinkers representative of that cultural ferment: you will read contributions from Muslims, Christians, but also freethinkers and “heretics,” if not openly atheists and agnostics. It offers a portrait of the Arab intellectual world, much more plural, free, and surprising than we think. The book is currently available in paperback in bookstores and online, including on our website.
The Editor
RALPH M. COURY, an expert on the political and intellectual history of the Arab world, is Professor Emeritus of History at Fairfield University in Connecticut and has held positions at the Universiti Sains Malaysia and Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. His publications address topics such as nationalism, Arabic literature, and the relationship between Islam, society, and politics.
The UAAR Publishing Project
Nessun Dogma is the publishing project initiated by UAAR, the association representing the interests of Italian atheists and agnostics. The publishing program combines the translation of classics previously unpublished in Italy with works that address pressing issues with an unabashed secular-rationalist approach.
Nessun Dogma’s catalog includes 45 publications. Other titles include: Unique Ceremonies: A Theoretical and Practical Guide to Non-Religious Celebrations by Adele Orioli, Maria Pacini, and Loris Tissino; Stories Without Dogmas by Adele Orioli (illustrations by Alessandra Amorotti); The Wind in My Hair: My Struggle for Freedom in Modern Iran by Masih Alinejad; Non-Believers’ Europe: Models of Secularism, Individual Statuses, Collective Rights, edited by Adele Orioli; and 30 Years of State Secularism: Was It True Glory? Proceedings of the Florence Conference of September 27 and 28, 2019, on the thirtieth anniversary of Constitutional Court Decision No. 203/1989, edited by Andrea Cardone and Marco Croce.
The editorial staff
