Wilfred Scawen Blunt and his Ideas on the Future of Islam

Wilfrid Scawen Blunt, like many aristocratic Englishmen in the age of Empire in the late 19th century, took an interest in the Muslim populations of the colonies being governed by Britain. As a prolific writer and poet, his approach differs from his contemporaries in being, on the whole, genuinely sympathetic to Islam. In his book ‘The Future of Islam’ he shows how important the power of Islam in coming centuries is likely to be, and touches upon many important topics, such as the growing spread of Islam in the world and possible adjustments to the Caliphate. He would like to see the formation of a friendly association between Great Britain and the Muslims of the world in the political interests of Britain. Inevitably, many of his predictions and wishes did not materialize in the 20th century. Wilfred Scawen Blunt [1840-1922] was an English gentleman who followed the leisurely pursuits available to affluent members of Victorian society, i.e, travelling and poetry. His travels in the Middle East made a powerful impression on his intellectual and emotional sensibilities. As E.M. Forster wrote in his essay on Blunt, he ‘was drawn to Islam, and at one time thought of professing it.’1 He was, no doubt, in sympathy with the subjugated peoples of the Middle East and with the Indians of South Asia who were groaning under the colonial yoke. Further in the essay, Forster writes, ‘Egyptians found him too proTurkish and Indians too anti-British.’2 This attitude was unique for a stolid Englishman of the time of the ‘highnoon of Empire’. Blunt feared the advance of European powers in Oriental lands. Forster further writes: ‘His detachment is amazing. He dreaded a war because it must involve Asia and Africa, and complete the enslavement of the conservative Oriental nations, whom he loved and who loved him……

Unearthing Literacy Conceptions of Middle School Students: A Qualitative Exploration

Contemporary views of literacy treat it as a set of technical skills. Once mastered, the economic rewards can be gained. However, the socio-cultural model of literacy believes that contextual and cultural dynamics have a considerable effect on literacy acquisition. Using principles of grounded theory, this research study sought to explore how middle-school students in an adopted government school in Karachi, perceived and conceptualized literacy. Preliminary interviews and sessions were conducted with participants to explore their conceptions and beliefs about literacy. The sessions were loosely structured sought to explore what participants had deemed important as per the ethos of grounded theory. The interviews and sessions were coded in ATLAS.ti, a software for coding qualitative data. Axial coding was employed to ascertain micro and macro themes. Findings indicate that participants' definition of literacy is fluency of verbal English. Participants were cognizant of Urdu's status as a national language but believed that English superseded Urdu in importance. They associated social and economic gains with being literate and idealized complete fluency in English communication (their conception of literacy). Their emphasis on literacy's potential of communication indicates a need to reorient literacy instruction accordingly. Overall, the participants' view of literacy as English fluency was fluid, integrating tenets from both socio-cultural and autonomous theories of literacy.