Contested Modernity: Sectarianism, Nationalism, and Colonialism in Bahrain by Om

The Nile on eBay   Contested Modernity by Omar H. AlShehabi

An innovative reading of the modern roots of sectarianism, nationalism, and absolutism in Bahrain and the Gulf during the British colonial era

FORMATHardcover LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Today, discussions of the Arab world, especially the Gulf States, are increasingly defined by the use of ethnosectarian terms. Such divisions are often assumed to be directly related to Islamism and oil, but their roots can be traced back much further – to the early twentieth century and Bahrain under British colonial rule.Drawing on a wealth of local literature unexamined in previous English-language studies, Omar H. AlShehabi analyses how colonialism and modernization contributed to Bahraini society's division along ethnic and sectarian lines. He assesses, too, the impact of emergent political movements of the time, in particular the nationalist al-Nahda renaissance which swept the Arab world in the nineteenth century. A groundbreaking work, Contested Modernity challenges us to reconsider how we see not only the Gulf but the wider Middle East as it was drawn by Britain and France in the aftermath of World War I.

Author Biography

Omar AlShehabi is director of the Gulf Centre for Development Policies and an assistant professor in economics at the Gulf University for Science and Technology, Kuwait. He is the author of several scholarly books and articles and has contributed to numerous international publications, including the Guardian, Al-Monitor and Jadaliyya.

Table of Contents

PrefaceIntroduction: Approaching Absolutism, Nationalism, and Sectarianism in the Gulf 1 The Ethnosectarian Gaze and Divided Rule2 Politics and Society Before Divided Rule, 1783–19003 Al-Nahda in Bahrain, 1875–19204 Contesting Divided Rule, 1900–19205 'Fitnah': Ethnosectarianism Meets al-Nahda, 1921–1923 Postscript: The Rise of Absolutism and Nationalism, 1923–1979Conclusion: State and Society Between Sectarianism and NationalismBibliographyIndex

Review

'AlShehabi's book is important in several respects. First, it contributes to historicize the ethnosectarian categories that both scholars and social actors use when trying to make sense of contemporary Bahraini society and politics… It underlines how much Bahraini ethnosectarianism, before becoming a political practice, was first a form of colonial knowledge that different actors contested but also espoused, often strategically. The book is also important politically…because it proposes a scientific reading of Bahraini history in a context where history has been hyper-politicized, and thus often distorted, by local actors seeking to substantiate their respective positions in the hierarchy of power.' * Politics, Religion & Ideology *'This is a crucial corrective to misleading and injurious narratives about the perpetually "sectarian" Gulf and its people. Credit to AlShehabi for historicizing the interrelated problems of sectarianism and colonialism in modern Bahrain, the Gulf region, and the wider Arab world.' -- Ussama Makdisi, Professor of History, Rice University'With great ambition, rich empirical detail and theoretical nuance, this book successfully sets out to rewrite the history of modern Bahrain… essential reading for anyone who wants to understand Bahraini history, the modern politics of the Gulf and the rise of sectarianism in the Middle East.' -- Toby Dodge, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics'AlShehabi offers an insightful and a fresh perspective that challenges dominant narratives on contemporary sectarian politics in Bahrain and the other states of the Arabian Gulf. While situating the Arab Gulf countries within mainstream debates on Arab al-Nahda, the book provides well-argued analyses of the Gulf-specific colonial experiences and the colonial roots of "the modernized absolutist rule" in the region.' -- Abdulhadi Khalaf, Professor of Sociology, Lund University'Written by one of the most astute scholars of the contemporary Gulf, this book presents an authoritative critique of the "ethnosectarian gaze" so often used in writing and thinking about Bahrain. Grounded in meticulous archival research and a fascinating retelling of Bahraini history, the book provides a wide range of fresh and compelling insights into debates around nationalism, identity, colonialism, and the production of knowledge. An indispensable work that breaks new ground in Middle East scholarship.' -- Adam Hanieh, Reader in Development Studies, SOAS, and author of Money, Markets, and Monarchies: The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Political Economy of the Contemporary Middle East

Promotional

An innovative reading of the rise of sectarianism across the Middle East, including the part played by British colonialism

Review Quote

'Written by one of the most astute scholars of the contemporary Gulf, this book presents an authoritative critique of the "ethnosectarian gaze" so often used in writing and thinking about Bahrain. Grounded in meticulous archival research and a fascinating retelling of Bahraini history, the book provides a wide range of fresh and compelling insights into debates around nationalism, identity, colonialism, and the production of knowledge. An indispensable work that breaks new ground in Middle East scholarship.'

Promotional "Headline"

An innovative reading of the rise of sectarianism across the Middle East, including the part played by British colonialism

Author Comments

Today, discussions of the Arab world, especially the Gulf States, are increasingly defined by the use of ethnosectarian terms. Such divisions are often assumed to be directly related to Islamism and oil, but their roots can be traced back much further - to the early twentieth century and Bahrain under British colonial rule. Drawing on a wealth of local literature unexamined in previous English-language studies, Omar H. AlShehabi analyses how colonialism and modernization contributed to Bahraini society's division along ethnic and sectarian lines. He assesses, too, the impact of emergent political movements of the time, in particular the nationalist al-Nahda renaissance which swept the Arab world in the nineteenth century. A groundbreaking work, Contested Modernity challenges us to reconsider how we see not only the Gulf but the wider Middle East as it was drawn by Britain and France in the aftermath of World War I.

Description for Sales People

The second entry in the new Radical Histories of the Middle East series, which presents radical interpretations of major events in the region's recent history In spite of all the books published since the Arab Spring, a dearth of serious scholarship on Bahrain remains Understanding sectarianism in the Gulf has become an important issue in recent times - AlShehabi traces its roots and examines how it is affecting the region today

Details ISBN1786072912 Pages 288 Publisher Oneworld Publications Year 2019 ISBN-10 1786072912 ISBN-13 9781786072917 Format Hardcover Subtitle Sectarianism, Nationalism, and Colonialism in Bahrain Place of Publication London Country of Publication United Kingdom DEWEY 953.65 Short Title Contested Modernity Language English Publication Date 2019-04-04 UK Release Date 2019-04-04 NZ Release Date 2019-04-04 Imprint Oneworld Academic Author Omar H. AlShehabi Series Radical Histories of the Middle East Audience Professional & Vocational AU Release Date 2019-06-02 We've got this

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