Frankopan: A Leader in His Own Right
One cannot do justice, in a four-day reading period, to a book so influential and impactful, not to mention that it is 600 plus pages. Besides, I am not an historian, and so a review of his methodology would be less than accurate. However, I do wish to bring a modicum of connection to The Silk Roads and the topic of leadership with the thought that not only is Peter Frankopan an established and respected academic and historian, he is also a leader his own right. Frankopan shows leadership ala Dupree in that he challenges the conventional wisdom, he articulates a clear vision, and he opened the door for a practical path forward. (1)
Frankopan challenges conventional wisdom via specific analysis and his central thesis. Of the many examples in which he challenges conventional wisdom via his analysis, one example that comes to mind is his approach to the impact of the Black Plague on Europe. Conventional wisdom suggests that the Black Plague decelerated the growth of Europe; Frankopan argues for the opposite. The Black Plague accelerated the growth of Europe and was, in fact, the foundation for the Europe’s industrial revolution. In Frankopan’s analysis, Europe in the post-plague era was forced to rethink and rebuild in a way that laid the foundation for the coming industrial age. (2)
This small example is a sub-point to his primary challenge to conventional wisdom; that is, the “…bridge between east and west is the very crossroads of civilization.” (3) Frankopan argues that the center of the world’s development was not Europe but Central Asia, effectively shifting the center of development from west to east. This is Frankopan’s principal challenge to conventional wisdom and what places him as a de facto leader and a brave academic.
To challenge conventional wisdom one must first see the world in a way others do not. To illustrate, Frankopan relates a childhood memory of a world map that hung on his bedroom wall. The map challenged his view of the world leading to questions of why some areas seem to be overlooked or under-represented on the map. (4)
His illustration reminded me of an experience I had when I visited an elementary school in the Czech Republic. I stared at the map on the wall for some time before I began to realize why it looked so different from the other maps that I had seen. Europe and not the “Americas” was in the center of the map. Since then, I have noticed that almost every region of the world has the map adjusted accordingly. It is not a value-judgment issue but a world-view issue in which we all tend to place ourselves and culture at the center of the world. In this way, Frankopan leads by asking us to see the world in a new way.
In addition to challenging conventional wisdom, Frankopan clearly articulates a vision that motivates and challenges the reader to consider and decide. Frankopan’s vision is both well developed and eloquently stated. In fact, it is so plainly said that it is easily condensed into one sentence—the east and not the west was the center of the developing world…period. Of course, he goes on to elaborate his thesis in detail providing illustrations that help make the vision clearer.
For example, he uses the metaphor of the human body’s nervous system to describe the Silk Road. The Silk Road was the neural connection where business practices were formed and carried out, where various faiths met and often clashed, where languages formed, and relationships developed. It was both the highway of information and the place of formation and change. (5)
In another example, he continues the map motif referring to a map that hung in the Great Council Hall of the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena, Italy. The map illustrated Italy’s desire for expanding influence via lines emanating from Siena throughout the world—not unlike the flight map in the magazine one reads while on an airplane. The map illustrated Europe’s desire to connect with the east and the importance of the Silk Road in making those connections.(6)
Finally, Frankopan has opened the door for a practical path forward, in particular, by being one of the influencers who has challenged the missiological world to take a new look at the impact the Silk Road had on the spread of the Gospel. This new look has initiated a renewed effort to see the Silk Road as, once again, a pathway for the spread of the Gospel. At first glance, the missiological influence of The Silk Roads seems to be outside of Frankopan’s rationale for his writing. But on second look it is precisely the reason. Frankopan states, “My hope is that I can embolden others to study peoples and places that have been ignored by scholars for generations by opening up new questions and new areas of research.” (7)
Frankopan has his detractors, but not many. And those who disagree, disagree on the finer points for example that he uses facts that are not well established or that he has left out essential events or misinterpreted more significant events. (8) Possibly all valid points, but the more significant point for the context of the LPG program is that Frankopan leads the way by challenging conventional wisdom, articulating a clear vision and then opened the door for a practical path forward. Frankopan is a leader in his own right!
- Max Depree. Leadership is an Art. New York, NY: Crown Business, 2004, 11-21.
- Peter Frankopan. The Silk Roads: A New History of the World. Kindle ed. New York: Knof, 2016, Loc. 4468.
- Ibid., Loc. 186.
- Ibid., Loc. 166.
- Ibid., Loc. 195.
- Ibid., Loc. 4249.
- Ibid., Loc. 279.
- Thomas, Mark. “Book Review: The Silk Roads, By Peter Frankopan.” http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/book-review-the-silk-roads-by-peter-frankopan-20151109-gku485.html (accessed Oct 5, 2017); Frank Anthony. “The Silk Roads By Peter Frankopan Review — a Frustrating Trail.” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/29/silk-roads-peter-frankopan-review (accessed Oct 5, 2017).
About the Author
Jim Sabella
14 responses to “Frankopan: A Leader in His Own Right”
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“To challenge conventional wisdom one must first see the world in a way others do not.” Nicely stated, Jim. And as you and I have discussed, often the ones best situated to see the world differently are the ones who have bridged between one context and another (or more); in our case, missionaries. You and I and others who have lived in multiple contexts have learned to see the world with various lenses, simultaneously as outsiders and insiders. Of course, our Third-Culture kids have an even better perspective on that, being truly “green” in a world of yellows and blues.
Thanks Katy! It’s both a gift—and a burden 🙂 — to have the ability to see the world both as insiders and outsiders. But I’d rather have that gift than not. You’re right, our kids have an even great perspective. I’ve seen it help them in so many ways, in life and work.
Jim, you did a great job connecting the book to our program. I hadn’t even thought of it in terms of leadership. You ought to be writing the reviews!!
You took ““My hope is that I can embolden others to study peoples and places that have been ignored by scholars for generations by opening up new questions and new areas of research.” into the area of most importance for us. Nicely done!!
Thank you Mary!
Thanks Jim for offering a concise and condensed version of the book. I especially liked your summary statement: “…the east and not the west was the center of the developing world.” It would have been helpful if he could have offered such clarity in the book intro. In fact, your post would have been a very helpful intro.
Thanks Jen. It is quite a lengthy and detailed book. Will have to go back when I have a month—in about 2 years or so—and spend much more time with it!
“My hope is that I can embolden others to study peoples and places that have been ignored by scholars for generations by opening up new questions and new areas of research.”
In my experience, countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are “invisible countries.”
I would presume that most Americans could not identify them on a map, name their capital cities, or name one interesting fact about them? In fact, I would guess that most Americans can’t even spell the names of these Central Asian nations.
We know of no music, film (Borat does not count), or art accomplishments from them. We don’t know what kind of food they eat. We cannot name an athlete, business leader, or politician from these countries.
At the very least, Frankopan shines a light on a part of the world that most in the West knows virtually nothing about.
Thanks Stu! You make a good point. One of the very positive aspects of the book, even if a person doesn’t agree with Frankopan’s thesis, is the effort he gives to shine a light on places that most know little about.
Jim great post. I believe that this book paves the way much like Odens book to see the world differently. To allow a new and more truthful narrative to be shared and discussed. To try to cover all of our worlds history in one book is not possible. Brevity on certain events will take place. It is done often in our current textbooks today. I agree with you and I applaud Frankopan’s attempt to challenge conventional wisdom.
Thanks Christal. I agree; I think it is so important to be challenged. In the absence of challenge, it’s easy to become complacent and intellectually weak and actually weak in our faith as well. I don’t always like it, but I always try to welcome it.
Hi Jim
I like how you related your love for maps to Frankopan use of maps in explaining his theories on history from the east to the west.
Thanks Lynda. I’ve always loved maps. They can tell you about more than just geography. You can almost say that every map is like a book with a thesis, evidence, and arguments presented by the cartographer, in graphic form.
Jim,
This is a really great and detailed post, there is so much great detail in the book and you pull out a lot of it.
I particularly liked the story of the map and the Czech republic….. It is interesting how all of us think that we (or where we are from) are at the center of the map….. Of course this shouldn’t surprise us, we also used to think the Sun revolved around the earth….
Thanks Chip. I’m not sure if we are born with the idea that we are at the center of the map or if it’s a learned attitude, but it plays into all we do.