Urban Notables And Arab Nationalism

This study attempts to correct the imbalance and, in the process, provides a fascinating interpretation of the rise of the ideology of nationalism within the Arab world. The book focuses on the social and political life of the great notable families of Ottoman Damascus, who, before World War I, played a crucial part in translating the idea into political action.

This book is the only work of its kind devoted exclusively to the institutional framework of Palestinian politics from 1856 until December 1920, when the third Palestinian Arab Congress was held in Haifa to decide the future of Palestine. Muslih's book is also the first to present in detail the ideologies of Ottomanism and Arab nationalism and the ways in which they relate to Palestine. In the groundbreaking analysis that considers the entire context of Arab politics, Muhammad Muslih articulates a new interpretation for the emergence of Palestinian nationalism, and one which will forster a better understanding of centuries-old attachment of the Arab Palestinians to their land and their struggle for its independence.

A historical study of the 1925 revolt against French rule in Syria, and how it established a new popular nationalism that helped shape the Middle East. The Great Syrian Revolt of 1925 was the first mass movement against colonial rule in the Middle East. Mobilizing peasants, workers, and army veterans, it was also the region’s largest and longest-lasting anti-colonial insurgency during the inter-war period. Though the revolt failed to liberate Syria from French occupation, it provided a model of popular nationalism and resistance that remains potent in the Middle East today. Each subsequent Arab uprising against foreign rule has repeated the language and tactics of the Great Syrian Revolt. In this work, Michael Provence uses newly released secret colonial intelligence sources, neglected memoirs, and popular memory to tell the story of the revolt from the perspective of its participants. He shows how Ottoman-subsidized military education created a generation of leaders who rebelled against both the French Mandate rulers of Syria and the Syrian elite who helped the colonial regime. This new popular nationalism was unprecedented in the Arab world. Provence shows compellingly that the Great Syrian Revolt was a formative event in shaping the modern Middle East.

This book presents a coherent picture of the origins of the Palestinian problem. The author offers an analysis of factionalism in Arab society, with a detailed examination of the social and political history of the Palestinian Arabs between 1939 and 1948. Khalaf weaves together the socio-economic, sociological, political, and politico-military dimensions that have led to social disintegration. He focuses on the role of the urban elite in perpetuating factionalism and using nationalism as a weapon to deflect opposition during a period of rapid social change. For those who are concerned with peace in Israel, the book provides a meaningful historical appreciation of a highly-charged, emotionally-laden conflict.

Based on a decade of research, including in-depth interviews with many leading figures in the story, this edition is essential for anyone who wants to understand the roots of the turmoil engulfing the Middle East, from civil wars to the rise of Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

The first systematic comparative analysis of political behavior throughout the entire Arab world, from Morocco to Kuwait. In an attempt to explain why the Arab world remains in ferment, Hudson discusses such crucial factors as Arab and Islamic identity, ethnic and religious minorities, the crisis of authority, the effects of imperialism, and modernization. "An impressive work of scholarship on the political culture and changing society of the entire Arab World. The author gives us a good picture of each country as he pursues his general themes of legitimacy, nationalism, Arabism, and the inevitable 'modernization.'"-- Foreign Affairs "Hudson has succeeded brilliantly in surveying and analyzing the entire range of contemporary Arab politics."-- Library Journal "Here for the first time is a really good general textbook of Middle Eastern politics. . . . Hudson has managed to provide detailed information about each Arab country within a sophisticated overall analytical framework, which substantially explains the situation in each country."-- Malcolm H. Kerr, Middle Eastern Studies Association Bulletin "What can be said with certainty is that all those professionally concerned with the Middle East will have to cope with this book in one way or another. . . . What is outstanding is its combination of rigorous analysis and breadth of coverage. If the book's immediate concerns are those of the political scientist, its findings and implications are important to all of us."-- Alan W. Horton, The Middle East Journal