Middle Eastern Politics and Historical Memory: Martyrdom, Revolution, and Forging National Identities...

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Professor Jacob Lassner

Middle Eastern Politics and Historical Memory

Martyrdom, Revolution, and Forging National Identities

Professor Jacob Lassner

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English

I.B. Tauris
04 September 2020

Middle Eastern history; Islamic studies; Memory; Nationalism

How is the complex history of the ancient Near East and Islamic World brought to bear in contemporary political discourse?

In this book, Medieval Near Eastern historian Jacob Lassner explores the resonance of ancient and medieval history in the political disputes that dominate the contemporary Middle East.

From identification with ancient forbears as a method of legitimization and nation-building, to tracing the deep history of the concept of revolution in the Arab world, the author probes the historical foundations of modern conflicts in the region. A medievalist, the author takes the position that an appreciation of cultural history is essential to understanding the debate surrounding the Israel/Palestine conflict. In turn, the book identifies the misappropriation and misunderstanding of the past, deliberate or accidental, as key weapon in the ongoing conflict.

By: Professor Jacob Lassner
Imprint: I.B. Tauris
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 380g
ISBN: 9780755602094
ISBN 10: 0755602099
Pages: 248
Publication Date: 04 September 2020
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

DEDICATORY PREFACE INTRODUCTION PART ONE: IMAGINED HISTORY AND CONTEMPORANEOUS POLITICAL BEHAVIOR -ESSAY 1- RECOVERING AND INVOKING AN IDEALIZED ISLAMIC PAST Problems and Approaches to Competing Narratives and Historical Memories -ESSAY 2- MYTHS OF MARTYRDOM AND REBELLION Recalling Muslim Self Sacrifice and Tribal Virtues of Manliness and Honor -ESSAY 3- MARTYRDOM VERSUS LOW PROFILE POLITICS Interpreting the Past for Alternative Paths toward Regime Change and Political Legitimacy -ESSAY 4- ‘BEING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY’ The Concept and Praxis of a Proper Islamic Revolution PART TWO: IDENTITY POLITICS AND NATION BUILDING IN THE MODERN NEAR EAST -ESSAY 5- FORGING NATIONAL IDENTITIES IN THE MODERN ARAB NATION STATE Inventing Legacies of Near and Distant Histories -ESSAY 6- THE HOLY LAND, CANAAN, AND ARABIA: THE QUEST FOR ARAB POLITY Inventing an Ancient Past in Response to Zionism -ESSAY 7- THE USES AND MISUSES OF MODERN BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP Academic Politics and National Identity: Egypt, Israel, and Palestine

Jacob Lassner is the Philip M. & Ethel Klutznick Professor of Jewish civilization Emeritus at Northwestern University, USA. his recent books include Medieval Jerusalem (2017), Islam in the Middle Ages (2010) and Jews and Muslims in the Arab World (2007).

Reviews for Middle Eastern Politics and Historical Memory: Martyrdom, Revolution, and Forging National Identities

This volume is a long reflection on the construction over time of received memories and their recasting and appropriation in modern political contexts. Lassner is an acknowledged master, possessing broad and deep knowledge of Islamic history, Arabic and Hebrew philology, the historiography of Islamic studies, ancient near eastern studies and biblical studies, and a deep engagement with the texts and artifacts of these fields. * Paula A. Sanders, Rice University, USA *