Formulation of the Claim
Arkoun sees in the works of Nöldeke, Blachère, Burton, and Wansbrough, among others, a step that moved the study of texts from pure philology to a broader horizon combining historical analysis with social critique.
Explanation
This assessment does not stop at establishing texts and comparing their forms; rather, it points to a research trajectory that began to link the history of texts with their social conditions, and to the deeper implications this linkage opens up in the study of religious texts.
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This reference comes to support Arkoun’s effort to expand the study of Islam from a narrow textual reading to a more complex historical-social reading, in keeping with a critical method that does not separate the text from the conditions of its production and reception.
What the Atom Does Not Say
This page does not present a detailed account of the works of these scholars, nor does it distinguish the differences between their approaches. It also does not enter into a comprehensive assessment of the adequacy of philological analysis alone.
Brief Evidence
Arkoun presents the works of Nöldeke, Blachère, Burton, and Wansbrough as a transition from pure philology to a combination of history and social critique.
Nearby Links
Islamic Thought: Critique and Ijtihad Critique of Islamic Reason Text and History