The Book
Drawing on a wealth of local literature unexamined in previous English-language studies, Omar H. AlShehabi analyses how colonialism and modernization contributed to Bahraini society's division along ethnic and sectarian lines. He assesses, too, the impact of emergent political movements of the time, in particular the nationalist al-Nahda renaissance which swept the Arab world in the nineteenth century. A groundbreaking work, Contested Modernity challenges us to reconsider how we see not only the Gulf but the wider Middle East as it was drawn by Britain and France in the aftermath of World War I.
Additional Information
| Subject | History, Politics, Middle East |
|---|---|
| Series | Radical Histories of the Middle East |
| Pages | 288 |
| Imprint | Oneworld |
Reviews
‘With great ambition, rich empirical detail and theoretical nuance, this book successfully sets out to rewrite the history of modern Bahrain from the mid-nineteenth century until the present day. Omar AlShehabi has deployed an impressive range of Arabic sources to problematise the existing academic narratives that seek to explain Bahrain's relationship with the British and its own path to independence and state-building… A convincing and original new explanation of the lineages of modern Bahrain, essential reading for anyone who wants to understand Bahraini history, the modern politics of the Gulf and rise of sectarian politics in the Middle East.'
‘AlShehabi offers an insightful and a fresh perspective that challenges dominant narratives on contemporary sectarian politics in Bahrain and the other states of the Arabian Gulf. While situating the Arab Gulf countries within mainstream debates on Arab Al Nahda, the book provides well-argued analyses of the Gulf-specific colonial experiences and the colonial roots of "the modernized absolutist rule” in the region.'
