The Alawis of Syria

The Alawis of Syria PDF Author: Michael Kerr
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190458119
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 404

Get Book Here

Book Description
A wide-ranging exploration of the cultural and historical hinterland of Syria's powerful Shia minority.

The Alawis of Syria

The Alawis of Syria PDF Author: Michael Kerr
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190458119
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 404

Get Book Here

Book Description
A wide-ranging exploration of the cultural and historical hinterland of Syria's powerful Shia minority.

A History of the ‘Alawis

A History of the ‘Alawis PDF Author: Stefan Winter
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400883024
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 325

Get Book Here

Book Description
The ‘Alawis, or Alawites, are a prominent religious minority in northern Syria, Lebanon, and southern Turkey, best known today for enjoying disproportionate political power in war-torn Syria. In this book, Stefan Winter offers a complete history of the community, from the birth of the ‘Alawi (Nusayri) sect in the tenth century to just after World War I, the establishment of the French mandate over Syria, and the early years of the Turkish republic. Winter draws on a wealth of Ottoman archival records and other sources to show that the ‘Alawis were not historically persecuted as is often claimed, but rather were a fundamental part of Syrian and Turkish provincial society. Winter argues that far from being excluded on the basis of their religion, the ‘Alawis were in fact fully integrated into the provincial administrative order. Profiting from the economic development of the coastal highlands, particularly in the Ottoman period, they fostered a new class of local notables and tribal leaders, participated in the modernizing educational, political, and military reforms of the nineteenth century, and expanded their area of settlement beyond its traditional mountain borders to emerge from centuries of Sunni imperial rule as a bona fide sectarian community. Using an impressive array of primary materials spanning nearly ten centuries, A History of the ‘Alawis provides a crucial new narrative about the development of ‘Alawi society.

The Nuṣayrī-ʻAlawīs

The Nuṣayrī-ʻAlawīs PDF Author: Yaron Friedman
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004178929
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 350

Get Book Here

Book Description
Friedman offers new and updated research on the Nusayr - Alaw sect, today a leading group in Syria, covering a variety of aspects and focusing on the Middle Ages. A century after Dussaud's "Histoire et religion des Nosair s" (1900), he reviews the history and religion of the sect in the light of old documents used by orientalists in the nineteenth century, documents that became available in the twentieth century, and later sources of the Nu ayr - Alaw sect published most recently in Lebanon. Also studied in depth for the first time is the question of the identity of the sect through the Alaw -Sunn -Sh triangle.

The Struggle for Power in Syria

The Struggle for Power in Syria PDF Author: Nikolaos van Dam
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Syria
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description


Among the Ruins

Among the Ruins PDF Author: Christian C. Sahner
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199396701
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Get Book Here

Book Description
An accessible history of Syria's cultural and religious past documents such issues as the role of Christianity in society, the emergence of the Ba'ath party, and the arrival of Islam, and traces the origins of the current civil war.

The 'Alawī Religion

The 'Alawī Religion PDF Author: MEIR. BAR-ASHER
Publisher:
ISBN: 9782503597812
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 221

Get Book Here

Book Description
The 'Alawī religion, known for most of its history by the name Nuṣayriyya, emerged in Iraq over a millennium ago. An esoteric, syncretistic religion with a close affinity to Shī'ī Islam, its origins are shrouded in obscurity. Over time, beliefs and rituals deriving from paganism, Zoroastrianism and Christianity were grafted to the radical Shī'ī substrate, giving the religion its distinctive character. Throughout their history the 'Alawites were a persecuted religious minority, but in the 1970s they came to power in Syria and retained absolute rule until recently. There is also a significant population in Hatai Province in southern Turkey. Arising from the authors' long-standing interest in the 'Alawī religion, this anthology offers for the first time a selection from the distinctive literature of the mysterious religion. The book opens with a detailed introduction setting the background for the themes it will cover: the mystery of the divinity in the 'Alawī faith; rituals and ceremonies; calendar and festivals; the doctrine of reincarnation; initiation into the divine mysteries and the esoteric circle; and finally, the identity and self-definition of the religion's followers vis-a-vis Islam and other religions.

Destroying a Nation

Destroying a Nation PDF Author: Nikolaos Van Dam
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1786722488
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 237

Get Book Here

Book Description
Following the Arab Spring, Syria descended into civil and sectarian conflict. It has since become a fractured warzone which operates as a breeding ground for new terrorist movements including ISIS as well as the root cause of the greatest refugee crisis in modern history. In this important book, former Special Envoy of the Netherlands to Syria, Nikolaos van Dam, explains the recent history of Syria, covering the growing disenchantment with the Asad regime, the chaos of civil war and the fractures which led to an immense amount of destruction in the refined social fabric of what used to be the Syrian nation. Through an in-depth examination, van Dam traces political developments within the Asad regime and the various opposition groups from the Arab Spring to the present day, and provides a deeper insight into the conflict and the possibilities and obstacles for reaching a political solution.

Syria

Syria PDF Author: Richard T. Antoun
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 0791495078
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 198

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book provides a multi-disciplinary understanding of the processes of change in contemporary Syria as well as its historical, social, and cultural underpinnings. A number of distinguished anthropologists, historians, political scientists, and literateurs examine key issues such as the changing Syrian family, political factionalism, the sedentarization of nomads, bureaucratic corruption, rural-urban migration, the development of the Ba'th Party, Syria's political isolation, religious resurgence, and the continued importance of sects in Syrian life. This book strikes a balance between examining the consequences of Syria's geographical and strategic position in international politics and the implications of its internal and highly complex ethnic and class structure and culture. It argues that the religious culture of Syria is as important as the leadership of Asad and, more generally, that an understanding of Syrian politics must be matched by an understanding of Syrian society and culture.

Syria through Jihadist Eyes

Syria through Jihadist Eyes PDF Author: Nibras Kazimi
Publisher: Hoover Press
ISBN: 081791076X
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 141

Get Book Here

Book Description
With field notes accumulated in a Syrian environment not generally hospitable to research and inquiry, Nibras Kazimi provides a unique view of the Syrian regime and its base at home, filling a void in our understanding of the intelligence barons and soldiers who run that country. He offers a look at the tactical, propagandists and strategic ingredients required, in jihadist eyes, for a successful jihad—and whether those ingredients are available in Syria.

The Syrian Uprising

The Syrian Uprising PDF Author: Raymond Hinnebusch
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 135138760X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 436

Get Book Here

Book Description
Most observers did not expect the Arab spring to spread to Syria, for a number of seemingly good reasons. Yet, with amazing rapidity, massive and unprecedented anti-regime mobilization took place, which put the regime very much on the defensive; what began as the Syrian Uprising in March 2011 has evolved into one of the world’s most damaging and protracted conflicts. Despite over six years having passed since the inception of the Syrian Uprising, this phenomenon remains difficult to fully grasp, both in terms of underlying forces and long-term implications. This book presents a snapshot of how the Uprising developed in roughly the first two to three years (2011–2013) and addresses key questions regarding the domestic origins of the Uprising and its early trajectory. Firstly, what were the causes of the conflict, both in terms of structure (contradictions and crisis within the pre-Uprising order) and agency (choices of the actors)? Why did the Uprising not lead to democratization and instead descend into violent civil war with a sectarian dimension? With all 19 chapters addressing an aspect of the Uprising, the book focuses on internal dynamics, whilst a subsequent volume will look at the international dimension of the Uprising. Taking an innovative and interdisciplinary approach that seeks to capture the full complexity of the phenomenon, this book contributes significantly to our understanding of the Syrian conflict, and will therefore be a valuable resource for anyone studying Middle Eastern Politics.