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A compelling history of the ancient schism that continues to divide
the Islamic world When Muhammad died in 632 without a male heir,
Sunnis contended that the choice of a successor should fall to his
closest companions, but Shi'a believed that God had inspired the
Prophet to appoint his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, as leader. So
began a schism that is nearly as old as Islam itself. Laurence
Louer tells the story of this ancient rivalry, taking readers from
the last days of Muhammad to the political and doctrinal clashes of
Sunnis and Shi'a today. In a sweeping historical narrative spanning
the Islamic world, Louer shows how the Sunni-Shi'a divide was never
just a dispute over succession-at issue are questions about the
very nature of Islamic political authority. She challenges the
widespread perception of Sunnis and Shi'a as bitter enemies who are
perpetually at war with each other, demonstrating how they have
coexisted peacefully at various periods throughout the history of
Islam. Louer traces how sectarian tensions have been inflamed or
calmed depending on the political contingencies of the moment,
whether to consolidate the rule of elites, assert clerical control
over the state, or defy the powers that be. Timely and provocative,
Sunnis and Shi'a provides needed perspective on the historical
roots of today's conflicts and reveals how both branches of Islam
have influenced and emulated each other in unexpected ways. This
compelling and accessible book also examines the diverse regional
contexts of the Sunni-Shi'a divide, examining how it has shaped
societies and politics in countries such as Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia, Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon.
A compelling history of the ancient schism that continues to divide
the Islamic world When Muhammad died in 632 without a male heir,
Sunnis contended that the choice of a successor should fall to his
closest companions, but Shi'a believed that God had inspired the
Prophet to appoint his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, as leader. So
began a schism that is nearly as old as Islam itself. Laurence
Louer tells the story of this ancient rivalry, taking readers from
the last days of Muhammad to the political and doctrinal clashes of
Sunnis and Shi'a today. In a sweeping historical narrative spanning
the Islamic world, Louer shows how the Sunni-Shi'a divide was never
just a dispute over succession-at issue are questions about the
very nature of Islamic political authority. She challenges the
widespread perception of Sunnis and Shi'a as bitter enemies who are
perpetually at war with each other, demonstrating how they have
coexisted peacefully at various periods throughout the history of
Islam. Louer traces how sectarian tensions have been inflamed or
calmed depending on the political contingencies of the moment,
whether to consolidate the rule of elites, assert clerical control
over the state, or defy the powers that be. Timely and provocative,
Sunnis and Shi'a provides needed perspective on the historical
roots of today's conflicts and reveals how both branches of Islam
have influenced and emulated each other in unexpected ways. This
compelling and accessible book also examines the diverse regional
contexts of the Sunni-Shi'a divide, examining how it has shaped
societies and politics in countries such as Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia, Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon.
Reconciliation between political antagonists who went to war
against each other is not a natural process. Hostility toward an
enemy only slowly abates and the political resolution of a conflict
is not necessarily followed by the immediate pacification of
society and reconciliation among individuals. Under what conditions
can a combatant be brought to understand the motivations of his
enemies, consider them as equals, and develop a new relationship,
going so far as to even forgive them? By comparing the experiences
of veterans of the South African and Franco-Algerian conflicts,
Laetitia Bucaille seeks to answer this question. She begins by
putting the postconflict and postcolonial order that characterizes
South Africa, France, and Algeria into perspective, examining how
each country provided symbolic and material rewards to the veterans
and how past conflict continues to shape the present. Exploring the
narratives of ex-combatants, Bucaille also fosters an understanding
of their intimate experiences as well as their emotions of pride,
loss, and guilt. In its comparative analysis of South Africa and
Algeria, Making Peace with Your Enemy reveals a paradox. In
Algeria, the rhetoric of the regime is characterized by resentment
toward colonizing France but relations between individuals
Reconciliationare warm. However, in South Africa, democratization
was based on official reconciliation but distance and wariness
between whites and blacks prevail. Despite these differences,
Bucaille argues, South African, Algerian, and French ex-adversaries
face a similar challenge: how to extricate oneself from colonial
domination and the violence of war in order to build relationships
based on trust.
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