Religious Radicalism after the Arab Uprisings edited by Jon B. Alterman

Reviewed and Summarized by Ella Marks, Jake Simon, Brigid Callahan, Carmen Sanchez Cumming, and Innocent Mpoki

Religious Radicalism after the Arab Uprisings is a short collection of writings about the Arab Spring in 2011. Published in 2015, the book is one of the most recent published analyses of the Arab Spring and its impacts on the Middle East. The essays focus on the relationship between the uprisings and an increase in radicalism in the region. As a whole, the book can be viewed as a warning to readers that the crisis in the Arab world is far from over. Governments have many challenges to face against religiously inspired militants who have only become stronger since the uprisings began in 2011.

Jihadi-Salafi Rebellion and the Crisis of Authority – Haim Malka

This chapter describes the constant struggle between jihadist groups for authentic Muslim leadership and unity in the Middle East. Competition for authority and legitimacy has driven jihadi-salafist groups to take more extreme measures in order to distinguish themselves. Continue reading →