Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
The Arab uprisings of 2011 created unexpected opportunities for religious radicals. Although many inside and outside the region initially saw the uprisings as liberal triumphs, illiberal forces have benefited disproportionately. In Tunisia, formally marginalized salafi-jihadi groups appealed for mainstream support, and in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood triumphed in elections. Even in Saudi Arabia, not known for either lively politics or for political entrepreneurship, a surprising array of forces praised the rise of Islamic democracy under a Muslim Brotherhood banner. Yet, at the same time, the Arab Spring reinforced regional governments advantages. The chaos engulfing parts of the region has convinced some citizens that they were better off with the governments they had, and many governments successfully employed old and new tools of repression to reinforce the status quo. In the Middle East, conflicts that many thought were coming to an end will continue, as will the dynamism and innovation that have emerged among radical and opposition groups. To face the current threats, governments will need to use many of their existing tools skillfully, but they will also need to judge what tools will no longer work, and what new tools they have at their disposal. The stakes could not be higher."
Synopsis
Gathering field work from almost twenty countries along with in-depth analysis and case studies, Religious Radicalism after the Arab Uprisings explores how radical groups, governments, and publics have responded to the Arab uprisings of 2011 and how conflicts that many thought were coming to an end are likely to continue indefinitely. Leading experts from the Center for Strategic & International Studies explore how radical groups have combined techniques learned from more liberal counterparts with a simultaneous decline in police capacity to construct an effective threat against established powers. The book also examines how governments have responded to unprecedented challenges to their authority by attacking a wide range of religiously inspired groups. It concludes that to face the current threats, governments need analyze the effectiveness of existing tools, discarding those that are outdated and adopting the new strategies to counter the ever-mounting radical presence.