Death of the Nation and the Future of the Arab Revolution

by Vijay Prashad

This fast-paced and timely book from Vijay Prashad is the best critical primer to the Middle East conflicts today, from Syria and Saudi Arabia to the chaos in Turkey. Mixing thrilling anecdotes from street-level reporting that give readers a sense of what is at stake with a bird's-eye view of the geopolitics of the region and the globe, Prashad guides us through the dramatic changes in players, politics, and economics in the Middle East over the last five years. “The Arab Spring was defeated neither in the byways of Tahrir Square nor in the souk of Aleppo,” he explains. “It was defeated roundly in the palaces of Riyadh and Ankara as well as in Washington, DC and Paris.”
 
The heart of this book explores the turmoil in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon—countries where ISIS emerged and is thriving. It is here that the story of the region rests. What would a post-ISIS Middle East look like? Who will listen to the grievances of the people? Can there be another future for the region that is not the return of the security state or the continuation of monarchies? Placing developments in the Middle East in the broader context of revolutionary history, The Death of the Nation tackles these critical questions. 

Genres: History, Politics, Middle East, Nonfiction

246 pages, Paperback

First published September 13, 2016

About the author

Vijay Prashad is the executive director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is the author or editor of several books, including The Darker Nations: A Biography of the Short-Lived Third World and The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South. His most recent book is Red Star Over the Third World. He writes regularly for Frontline, The Hindu, Alternet and BirGun.

Reviews

[HAMiD · Rating 3 out of 5]

کتابی خوب است، اگرچه کم گو، اما راستگو بوده است به گمان من
نگاهِ نویسنده به خاورمیانه ی با بازیگرهای ناشی و دیکتاتور و خون ریزش برای آن چیزی که گمان برده ایم(اند) حقیقت است، آشکارسازیِ دروغ های ایدئولوژیک و نیز تصفیه(و نه تسویه) حساب های برآمده از تحقیرِ همیشگی از کشورهای بالادستی است؛ گو اینکه آنان کارگردانان اصلی باشند هنوز و به فرض که صحنه گردانی با آنان باشد. این دیکتاتورهای خُرد هستند که بهترین سیاه لشگرهای این بازیِ پیش از آغاز باخته هستند که تاوانِ بی اندازه اش نصیبِ مردمان بیچاره ی همه ی این سرزمین هاست
پس سرنگونی راه برون رفت نیست که باید از نو با اندیشه در خویش معیارها را تغییر داد و دست کشید از دهان دریدن برای فریاد زدن شعارهایی که تنها در صورت دروغ بودن، دقیق ترین و درست ترین پاسخ به زمانه ی خویش اند. چه بسا که همه ی حرف های این دیدگاه هم شکلی دیگر از همان شعارها باشد

هفتم مرداد دوصفر چهاردهِ ننگین

[Mohammad Sadegh Alizadeh · Rating 4 out of 5]

یک کالبدشکافی عالی از داعش و درگیری‌های سوریه و عراق و به‌خصوص از ترکیه و مواضع سال‌های اخیرش در منطقه. تحلیل‌های پریشاد از ترکیه و‌ حزب عدالت و توسعه و مداخلات سال‌های اخیر ترکیه در سوریه که می‌خواندم، مدام سطحی‌نگری‌های تحلیلی امیرخانی از ترکیه جلوی چشمم می‌آمد.

[switching to StoryGraph: ka_cam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sobering read- very accessible for the average (interested) reader, written in journalistic language which will still go over the heads of the reader if not at least vaguely acquainted with recent history of the region. Points are clear and succinct- though occasionally seems to gloss over complexity in favor of intensity. Those raised on the American educational and media systems will find some challenges to preconceived notions and assumptions on the region. Those on the more conservative end of the spectrum will definitely find their views challenged (and so should most definitely read it). Overall a very valuable read- would definitely recommend for those interested in the region, as well as those interested in popular movements, global power structures, and the interactions of states and nationalisms as a whole.

[Thomas Ray]

DS63.123 .P73 2016 Memorial Library

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't find this particularly memorable or impactful, but it does give a quality, Marxist overview of Middle-Eastern political history. That's worth having on your shelf I think, although if you're looking for some groundbreaking analysis you'll be left disappointed. If all you're wanting though is some details on how western capital has destroyed the Middle-East, as far forward as about 2015, then you probably can't do much better than this book.

It's remarkable though that despite being published in 2016 the book already feels outdated, what with how fast events seem to have moved in the Middle-East over the last decade.

Not Bad Reviews

@pointblaek

[Nikhil Dehlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent account of the Arab Spring. You know the guy has done his homework when he writes this immaculate. Written with a jounralist style, daily readers would get that instantly. ( and that's how I got to know about him and this book )


Take it with a pinch of salt, the guy is straight up left leaning but that shouldn't matter, cause whatever argument is there in the book, makes complete sense.

[M.R. Raghu · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent on ground account of the complicated middle east politics. The narrative was a bit hard to read though the research perspective was commendable. A must read for anyone that wants to understand Middle east geopolitics.