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This book provides unparalleled insight into how the Syrian and Iranian regimes use economic, social welfare, judicial, and cultural policies to maintain their rule. The parallel analysis of the Middle East's most secular and most religious authoritarian regimes shows how much better we can understand Iran when we consider it as an authoritarian regime like many others, not a sui generis Islamic government. --Vickie Langohr, College of the Holy Cross Whether or not the Syrian regime will ultimately be as 'successful' in repressing large scale contestation as its Iranian counterpart has been, the near future trajectories of both countries will differ substantially from other Middle Eastern countries where more participatory forms of government are emerging. This volume illustrates the limits and complexities of current political change in the Middle East. It is a major contribution to contemporary debates about the resilience and adaptability of authoritarian rule, built on impressive empirical evidence and the systematic comparison of Iran and Syria. --Eberhard Kienle, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
