Uncivil War: Intellectuals and Identity Politics During the Decolonization of Algeria, Second Edition [Paperback]

James D. Le Sueur (Author), Pierre Bourdieu (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2005 | ISBN-10: 0803280289 | ISBN-13: 978-0803280281 | Edition: 2

Uncivil War is a provocative study of the intellectuals who confronted the loss of France’s most prized overseas possession: colonial Algeria. Tracing the intellectual history of one of the most violent and pivotal wars of European decolonization, James D. Le Sueur illustrates how key figures such as Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Germaine Tillion, Jacques Soustelle, Raymond Aron, Claude Lévi-Strauss, Albert Memmi, Frantz Fanon, Mouloud Feraoun, Jean Amrouche, and Pierre Bourdieu agonized over the “Algerian question.” As Le Sueur argues, these individuals and others forged new notions of the nation and nationalism, giving rise to a politics of identity that continues to influence debate around the world. This edition features an important new chapter on the intellectual responses to the recent torture debates in France, the civil war in Algeria, and terrorism since September 11.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It is the most important recent contribution to English-language scholarship on the Algerian Revolution. -- Todd Shepard, Journal of Colonialism and Colonial History

New York Review of Books :

"An illuminating study of French intellectual responses to the war."-New York Review of Books

Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History :

"Le Sueur's great achievement is to reveal the complexity of the political and moral choices faced by intellectuals and, by extension, by the wider populations of Algeria and France."-Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History

American Historical Review :

"Le Sueur has provided an insightful and lively interpretation of an ongoing moral, sociological, political, and intellectual struggle taking place on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea."-American Historical Review

Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations :

"Uncivil War is indispensable reading for re-assessing the greater historical significance of the Algerian War."-Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations

From the Publisher

Pierre Bourdieu, from the Foreword
"To tell the role played by French and Algerian intellectuals in Algeria's war of liberation, one of the longest and most terrible in history, needed a historian who was both meticulous and rigorous, one not only capable of interpreting archives and questioning witnesses but sensitive and understanding enough to feel deeply and communicate the tragic experiences of this 'uncivil war.'"

Uncivil War is a provocative study of the intellectuals who confronted the loss of France's most prized overseas possession, colonial Algeria. Tracing the intellectual history of one of the most violent wars of European decolonization, James D. Le Sueur illustrates how such key figures as Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Germaine Tillion, Jacques Soustelle, Raymond Aron, Claude Lévi-Strauss, Albert Memmi, Frantz Fanon, Mouloud Feraoun, Jean Amrouche, and Pierre Bourdieu agonized over the "Algerian question." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 430 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press; 2 edition (December 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803280289
• ISBN-13: 978-0803280281
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,121,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Dean Le Sueur is professor of history at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He received his PhD at the University of Chicago and is a leading authority on European decolonization, the French-Algerian war, and Algerian history. He is author of several works, including "Uncivil War: Intellectuals and Identity Politics during the Decolonization of Algeria" and most recently "Algeria since 1989: Between Terror and Democracy." Known for his extensive editing projects, he edited "The Decolonization Reader" and oversaw the republication of Henri Alleg's celebrated and controversial book, "The Question" -- the work that opened the torture debate in France during the French-Algerian war. In addition, Professor Le Sueur oversaw the English editions of Mouloud Feraoun's two masterpieces, "Journal, 1955-1962-Reflections on the French-Algerian War" and "The Poor Man's Son," as well as several other important works by other authors. In 2003, he was appointed senior associate member of the Middle East Centre at St. Antony's College, Oxford. He is currently completing a feature documentary about exiled writers from Muslim-majority countries and is filming a second feature documentary on the topic of pre-9/11 terrorism in the United States.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT INTELLECTUAL READ!, May 29, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Uncivil War: Intellectuals and Identity Politics During the Decolonization of Algeria (Hardcover)

This book is based, in large part, on private and never before seen archives of key public intellectuals during the decolonization of Algeria. Scholars who focus on decoloniztion and post-colonial studies will find this work provocative and enlightening, with far-reaching implications for today's world. Some notable characteristics of the book include the following: this is the first book to really look at conversations between French and Algerian intellectuals during decolonization; also, Pierre Bourdieu wrote a very moving forward about his relationship with Mouloud Feraoun before Feraoun was assassinated by the OAS; the chapter on Camus is fascinating and relies largely on his private papers; Le Sueur's critical analysis of the concept of the "Other" and its use by various intellectuals provides a refreshing and critical perspective. This book makes a unique contribution to fields of study such as history, anthropology, sociology, post-colonial studies, education, cultural studies, decolonization studies, and African studies. It's definitely a great read!