Shi'ism and Social Protest

Shii Muslims, who make up eleven percent of the population of Islamic nations, have produced more than their share of political activism from the Iranian revolution in 1978-79 to a series of dramatic individual actions, most recently in Lebanon. Why has Twelver Shiism changed from quietism to an active involvement in politics? How will Shii political activism affect the struggle in and for Lebanon, the Iran-Iraq war, Soviet attitudes toward Afghanistan and Iran, and United States policies toward the Middle East? This timely and important book is the first overview of Shii political activism in each of the countries where it has been significant. The contributors to the volume scholars with wide-ranging expertise here present up-to-date information on the factors involved in the recent rise of Shii activism. Surprisingly, the authors find that national identities have often been more important for Shii Muslims than transnational religious solidarity; Shiis in most countries have mobilized for greater participation in their nations resources and political life rather than for Shii separatism or clerical rule. According to the authors, Shiis have not by any means reached a final point in their political activities; their political future depends largely on the degree to which the demands and desires of their local groups are met. A useful guide to the largely unexplored terrain of Shii history and tradition behind todays headlines in the Middle East. -- Gary G. Sick, author of All Fall Down