The Shi'ites of Lebanon

The complex history of Lebanese Shiites has traditionally been portrayed as rooted in religious and sectarian forces. The Abisaabs uncover a more nuanced account in which colonialism, the modern state, social class, and provincial politics profoundly shaped Shii society. The authors trace the sociopolitical, economic, and intellectual transformation of the Shiites of Lebanon from 1920 during the French colonial period until the late twentieth century. They shed light on the relationship of contemporaryIslamic militancy with traditions of religious modernism and leftism in both Lebanon and Iraq. Analyzing the interaction between sacred and secular features of modern Shiite society, the authors clearly follow the groups turn toward religious revolution and away from secular activism. This book transforms our understanding of twentieth-century Lebanese history and demonstrates how the rise of Hizbullah was conditioned by Shiites consistent marginalization and neglect by the Lebanese state.