Ruining Revolution: How International Islamist and Salafi Forces Have Held Libya Hostage Since 2011

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Inga K. Trauthig

Ruining Revolution

How International Islamist and Salafi Forces Have Held Libya Hostage Since 2011

Inga K. Trauthig

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English

Columbia University Press
25 November 2025

Religion & politics; Constitution: government & the state; Terrorism, armed struggle

Series: Columbia Studies in Terrorism and Irregular Warfare

The political turmoil in Libya-which has claimed more than 20,000 lives and frustrated international partners since 2011-is an immensely complex struggle for power with a dizzying array of participants. How did Libya's ""Arab Spring"" devolve into civil war after the removal of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi?

Ruining Revolution examines Libya's descent into chaos, pinpointing the roles of Islamist and Salafi forces. Focusing on two key but underestimated movements, the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood and Libyan Salafi Madkhalis, Inga K. Trauthig argues that ideological groups have been of greater importance than previously assumed. She maps out crucial junctions in Libya's recent history, tying in these movements' pasts, to show how Islamist and Salafi forces have stoked instability. Although the 2011 Libyan revolution was not religious, these groups proved surprisingly well-equipped to capitalize on social and political fissures and to attract international support.

Featuring deep research and rigorous analysis, this book draws on a range of sources, including in-depth interviews and propaganda shared on social media. Ruining Revolution illuminates the dynamics that have shaped contemporary Libya-with significant policy implications for regional engagement-and offers broader insight into the underlying workings of a range of radical groups.

By: Inga K. Trauthig
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9780231219952
ISBN 10: 0231219954
Series: Columbia Studies in Terrorism and Irregular Warfare
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 25 November 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgments List of Acronyms Introduction 1. Who Are Libya’s Islamists and Salafists? 2. Surprised by Libya’s Revolution 3. Securing Interests While Hurting Libya 4. A Downhill Slope 5. What Next? Appendix Glossary of Arabic Words Notes Bibliography Index

Inga K. Trauthig is a research professor at the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University. She is also a senior visiting scholar with the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at King’s College London.

Reviews for Ruining Revolution: How International Islamist and Salafi Forces Have Held Libya Hostage Since 2011

This important and well-written work offers timely insights into Libya’s political development since the Arab Spring. Drawing on a range of painstakingly collected sources, it offers a rich analysis of how Salafist Islamist groups have adapted to the instability and insecurity in Libya over this period. In so doing, it charts and explains the important and complex roles that they have played. A must-read for anyone interested in Islamism and political instability in the Middle East. -- Jonathan Hill, director of the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, King’s College London Uniquely focusing on The Libyan Muslim Brotherhood and Libyan Salafi Madkhalis, this book helps readers understand the current state of Libya as one which held much promise during the Arab Spring, to one which can better be described as an Arab Winter. -- Dr. Joana Cook, author of <i>The Rule is for None but Allah: Islamist Approaches to Governance</i> In Ruining Revolution, Inga Trauthig has produced an important work of scholarship with policy relevance. I worked on Libya as a British diplomat and United Nations Coordinator, and wish I had had this book to consult as we tried to help the Libyans help themselves. -- Edmund Fitton-Brown, Senior Advisor to the Counter Extremism Project