Book Review: Ibn Khaldun as Global Theorist — Revisiting Civilizational Thought

Abstract

This review examines two recent contributions to the growing body of scholarship on Ibn Khaldun: Ibn Khaldun: Education, History and Society by Shamim Miah and The World Until 1400 According to Ibn Khaldun: A Global History of Humanity by Abdesselam Cheddadi. Miah’s book offers a clear and accessible introduction to Ibn Khaldun’s key concepts—such as ʿaṣabiyya, the dynastic cycle, and the relationship between education and social development—making it suitable for general readers and pedagogical settings. In contrast, Cheddadi presents a more expansive and critical analysis, situating Ibn Khaldun as a foundational global thinker whose work anticipates modern approaches to world history, sociology, and political ecology. Together, these books provide complementary perspectives: Miah’s as an introductory framework and Cheddadi’s as a call to rethink global historiography through a non-Western lens. The review argues that read in tandem, these works reaffirm Ibn Khaldun’s enduring relevance and challenge the Eurocentric assumptions that have long shaped historical thought.