Crossing Cultures

by Ian Buruma

Ian Buruma

Ian Buruma's most recent book is Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance. He is a professor of democracy, human rights and journalism at Bard College.

Is multiculturalism a blessing or a curse? Must democracy be secular or can religion play a role? Does the “West” still exist and, if so, what does it stand for? Has China successfully fused capitalism with authoritarianism? Will Islam change the West or will the West change Islam?

Ian Buruma, a Dutchman who writes in English and speaks fluent Japanese and German, is a classic public intellectual of the kind that now seems to have vanished from our world. His books cover topics ranging from war guilt (The Wages of Guilt) to the impact of Western ideas on Asia (Occidentalism) to the breakdown of multiculturalism (Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance).

Combining the historian’s breadth and insight with the journalist’s clarity and accessibility, Ian Buruma has reported on the defining issues of our time for three decades. His sober, compelling analyses – delivered in vivid and often stirring prose – unfailingly spark debate. Now, Project Syndicate’s monthly series Crossing Cultures brings the writing of one of the world’s most important and engaging intellectuals to newspaper readers everywhere.

To inquire about this series click here

Date	Title / Authors	Available Languages
May 2008	Send in the Clowns by Ian Buruma
April 2008	The Last of the Tibetans by Ian Buruma
March 2008	Liberty and Music by Ian Buruma
February 2008	A War on Tolerance by Ian Buruma
January 2008	The Year of the “China Model” by Ian Buruma
December 2007	Legislating History by Ian Buruma
November 2007	Lucky Little Countries? by Ian Buruma
October 2007	Revolts of the Righteous by Ian Buruma
September 2007	The History Man by Ian Buruma