Saudi Arabia and the Politics of Dissent [Hardcover]

Mamoun Fandy (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0312210213 | ISBN-13: 978-0312210212 | Publication Date: February 15, 1999 | Edition: 1st

Few books on Saudi Arabia deal with primary sources in examining internal Saudi dissent. In contrast, Saudi Arabia and the Politics of Dissent relies on field work and the analysis of more than one hundred taped sermons by Saudi Islamic activists, examining their personal backgrounds, their rhetoric, and their strategies. Mamoun Fandy traces the evolution of Islamic opposition in Saudi Arabia, focusing on the Gulf War and its aftermath and scrutinizing the works of Safar al Hawali and Salman al-Auda. He also documents the history of the Shi`a Reform Movement and its leader, Sheik Hassan al-Safar, of Mohammed al-Mas`ari and his Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights, of Sa`d al-Faqih and the Movement of Islamic Reform in Arabia, and finally the radical Usama bin Laden and his organization. By analyzing the Saudi opposition’s use of modern technologies of communication and discussing the ways in which supposedly fundamentalist thinkers have been influenced by global debates and events, Saudi Arabia and the Politics of Dissent contributes significantly to the theoretical debate on domination and resistance in the current age of globalization and postmodernity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...this [is a] well-researched, intelligent and readable book...full of astute observations. Middle East Policy

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Mamoun Fandy is Professor of Politics at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University. He spent two years in Saudi Arabia researching this book.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 284 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; 1st edition (February 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312210213
• ISBN-13: 978-0312210212
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,197,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cutting-edge scholarship, September 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Saudi Arabia and the Politics of Dissent (Hardcover)

Dr. Mamoun Fandy offers a new and challenging view of the contemporary scene in Saudi Arabia, where protest groups are using various modern means in their attempt to subvert the current Sa'ud regime. Fandy brings up new ideas that have not before been discussed, and offers a fresh examination of the phenomenon of protest movements in the Middle East. Such cutting-edge scholarship is a welcome departure from the dated and useless body of material offered up by the old-school dinosaurs of Middle Eastern political science (M. Hudson, etc.).

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Scholarly, watertight, July 22, 2003

By 

"maslam5" (Phildelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saudi Arabia and the Politics of Dissent (Paperback)

I read this book for a class on contemporary politics of the Middle East. Fandy's analysis of religious dissent in Saudi Arabia is in-depth and based on numerous primary sources. Instead of posing the regime as inexorably evil (or virtuous!), the author brings to bear some remarkable insights to explain how the House of Saud has attained a remarkable ascendancy over a region where familialism and kinship are ingrained into society.

While the lay reader could get sidetracked by some esoteric political science terms (e.g. the author should have defined 'the political economy of signs'), overall the style of writing is clear and reasonably paced. My only major disappointment was the tight focus on RELIGIOUS opposition by figures such as Al-Auda and Bin Laden - royal dissent was not mentioned.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Saudi Arabia.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars as heard on Fresh Air (NPR) 9/27/01, September 28, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Saudi Arabia and the Politics of Dissent (Paperback)

The author of this book is one of the wisest voices around with an extremely broad and thoughtful perspective on the forces behind and surrounding the tragedy of September 11. While the book is not as related to the incident as his interview, his knowledge and feeling for how and why these groups act is second to none.