Saddam's Word: Political Discourse in Iraq (Studies in Middle Eastern History) [Paperback]

Ofra Bengio (Author)

Book Description

Series: Studies in Middle Eastern History | Publication Date: January 3, 2002

This is the first serious attempt to understand modern Iraq through a close examination of the political discourse used by the Ba'th regime and its leader, Saddam Hussein. By analyzing political terms, concepts, and idioms as disseminated through the official Iraqi mouthpieces, author Ofra Bengio illuminates Iraq's political culture and the events that these expressions have both reflected and shaped. Not only does this study add to our understanding of the "Saddam enigma;" it also offers a more universal truth: that under any regime, political culture is built on public discourse. Saddam's Word will be of much interest to students of the contemporary Middle East, as well as to all other observers of Saddam Hussein and his regime.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Bengio provides an insightful look at how yet another dictator uses ... propaganda tools to advantage."--Military Review

"[Bengio] has written the most important book on Baathi Iraq since Kanan Makiya's Republic of Fear (published in 1989 under the pseudonym of Samir al-Khalil). Her well-written, easily accessible yet sophisticated analysis of political language makes a major contribution to our understanding of contemporary Iraq."--Middle East Policy

"Anyone who doubts the corrupting effects of totalitarianism on political language--if such a person could exist at the end of our century of totalitarianisms--should read this book. Bengio . . . has compiled exhaustive evidence from the Iraqi sources to show how the Ba'thist regine in general and Saddam Hussein in particular have debased the political vocabulary of Iraq . . ."--Political Science Quarterly

"It is refreshing to read an English-language book on a Middle Eastern topic that relies largely on Arabic sources rather than Western or Israeli ones. The book is unique, delving into previously uncharted waters."--Perspectives on Political Science

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Hebrew --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (January 3, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195151852
• ISBN-13: 978-0195151855
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,167,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Saddam's Word: Political Discourse in Iraq., August 4, 2001

By 

Daniel Pipes, Middle East Forum, Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saddam's Word: The Political Discourse in Iraq (Studies in Middle Eastern History) (Hardcover)

Starting from the premise that the best way to understand the nature of Saddam Husayn's regime "is not through conventional narrative history but rather through an analysis of political discourse," Bengio reviews in detail the Iraqi regime's use of language. Focusing on the terms that the Ba'thi Party itself "placed at the center of its idiom," she shows the importance of the fact that "revolution" (thawra) is a good thing in Iraqi discourse and "coup d'état" (inqilab) a bad one. She dissects the treatment of a trio of enemies receives-imperialism, Israel, and Iran. Bengio, a senior research fellow at the Dayan Center of Tel Aviv University, draws several major conclusions. The Saddam Husayn regime has lasted so long because it has mastered verbal manipulation as well as physical power. A "major shift" has taken place, "from a secular, leftist, and socialist idiom to a language dominated by Islamic terms and concepts." The ultimate purpose of all the political talk is to make the public "acquiesce in the total power monopoly of a numerically tiny elite." While the author thoroughly and creatively exposes her subject, she does not achieve her bold claim of besting "conventional narrative history" in explaining Iraqi politics. However valuable the close reading of rhetorical texts, this can only complement, not replace, the full-scale study of history. In the end, the regime's propaganda is but a small part of its power.

Middle East Quarterly, Sept 1998