Review
"Khalaf succeeds in crafting a narrative that is engaging, scholarly--and, perhaps most refreshing--hopeful" -- Akram Fouad Khater, International Journal of Middle East Studies
Book Description
Khalaf analyzes the history of civil strife and political violence in his native Lebanon and reveals what he views as the inherent contradictions that have plagued that country, particularly its vulnerability to inter-Arab and superpower rivalries. He asks: How can a fairly peaceful and resourceful society, with an impressive history of viable pluralism, coexistence, and republicanism, become the site of so much barbarism and incivility?
About the Author
Samir Khalaf is professor of sociology and chair of the Center for Behavioral Research at the American University of Beirut. He is the author of many books, including Lebanon's Predicament, published by Columbia.
Civil and Uncivil Violence: A History of the Internationalization of Communal Conflict in Lebanon FROM THE PUBLISHER
In this work, Samir Khalaf analyzes the history of civil strife and political violence in Lebanon and reveals the inherent contradictions that have plagued that country and made it so vulnerable to both inter-Arab and superpower rivalries. How did a fairly peaceful and resourceful society, with an impressive history of viable pluralism, coexistence, and republicanism, become the site of so much barbarism and incivility? Khalaf argues that historically internal grievances have been magnified or deflected to become the source of international conflict. From the beginning, he shows, foreign interventions have consistently exacerbated internal problems.
SYNOPSIS
A major book on Lebanon´s political and social history by one of the world´s leading scholars in the field.In this long-awaited work, Samir Khalaf analyzes the history of civil strife and political violence in his native Lebanon and reveals what he views as the inherent contradictions that have plagued that country, particularly its vulne
FROM THE CRITICS
Booknews
Lebanon is generally associated with protracted and displaced hostility, reawakened communal solidarities, and obsessive dependence on external patronage or foreign intervention. Khalaf (sociology, American U. of Beirut) probes into the three elements to illuminate the destabilizing consequences of the interplay between internal divisions and external dislocations, and thereby understand the changing form and magnitude of collective strife. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Art & Photography
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