Islamism

A History of Political Islam from the Fall of the Ottoman Empire to the Rise of Isis

Osman Tarek

A political, social, and cultural battle is currently raging in the Middle East. On one side are the Islamists, those who believe Islam should be the region's primary identity. In opposition are nationalists, secularists, royal families, military establishments, and others who view Islamism as a serious threat to national security, historical identity, and a cohesive society.

This provocative, vitally important work explores the development of the largest, most influential Islamic groups in the Middle East over the past century. Tarek Osman examines why political Islam managed to win successive elections and how Islamist groups in various nations have responded after ascending to power. He dissects the alliances that have formed among Islamist factions and against them, addressing the important issues of Islamism's compatibility with modernity, with the region's experiences in the twentieth century, and its impact on social contracts and minorities. He explains what Salafism means, its evolution, and connections to jihadist groups in the Middle East. Osman speculates on what the Islamists' prospects for the future will mean for the region and the rest of the world.

About the Author

Tarek Osman is the author of the internationally acclaimed "Egypt on the Brink". The first edition of the book was published few weeks before the eruption of Egypt's 2011 revolution, and was translated into Arabic, French, Dutch and Japanese. "Foreign Policy" placed the book in its '2011 Most Important International Relations Book List' and the Guardian selected it as the best non-fiction book on Egypt. Tarek is an Egyptian political economist with 15-years experience in strategy consulting, private equity and political-economy advisory. His writings appeared in "Financial Times", "Economist", "Foreign Policy", "Foreign Affairs", "Guardian", amongst many others. He is a regular commentator on the Arab world at leading think tanks and international news stations. He studied at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and Bocconi University in Milan, Italy.

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