Introduction; 1. Politics of notables; 2. Oil and dissent; 3. Shia Islamism; 4. A decade of confrontation; 5. No more revolution; 6. Marginal recognition; 7. A new Intifada; Conclusion: the politics of sectarianism.
This book traces the politics of the Shia in the oil-rich Eastern Province of Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia since the nineteenth century.
Toby Matthiesen is a research fellow in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge.
'An extremely powerful analysis of the Shia of Saudi Arabia.
Matthiesen lucidly moves between the past and the present with
great linguistic and analytical skills that demonstrate panoramic
knowledge and in-depth understanding of one of the most complex
minority situations in the Arab world. His thoughtful historical
account is matched by his familiarity with wider contemporary
regional contexts and domestic politics.' Madawi Al-Rasheed, London
School of Economics and Political Science
'Matthiesen skillfully fills in a large gap in the literature of
Saudi Arabia as well as of modern Muslim politics. Drawing on an
impressive range of sources, he expertly documents both the
enduring power of the regime and portentous transformations in
communal identity and authority. This detailed and thoughtful study
of the Kingdom's Shia will become the standard work on an
increasingly important subject.' James Piscatori, University of
Durham
'Matthiesen's book is based on an impressive work of data
collection. It mixes the analysis of previously unexploited
archival material with fieldwork to offer an insightful and
compelling picture of Shiism in Saudi Arabia. It definitely fills a
vacuum in our knowledge of contemporary Shiism.' Laurence Louër,
Institut d'Etudes Politiques, Paris
'This sweeping history of the Shi'ites of Saudi Arabia immediately
becomes a definitive account of their politics and social
organization. Drawing on wide-ranging interviews inside and outside
of Saudi Arabia, along with a wealth of novel documentary sources
and political publications, Matthiesen presents a compelling
account of the evolving relations between the Shi'ite community and
the Saudi state, and of the Shi'ite networks that cross the Gulf
and the region.' Marc Lynch, The Washington Post's Monkey Cage
blog
'[This book] is helpful in understanding some of the current
problems in Saudi Arabia, the leading regional ally of choice of
the United States.' Cosmopolis
'The Other Saudis is an important, if not indispensable, guide to
one of the least understood but most influential countries of the
Middle East, a region that is coming apart in the midst of
sectarian conflicts and civil wars.' Ray Takeyh, Survival
'The Other Saudis makes an original contribution to scholarship on
the modern history and politics of Shi'a in Saudi Arabia and the
Middle East and provides abundant evidence for further analytical
work on sectarianism.' David Commins, The American Historical
Review
'This book is particularly timely given the resurgent importance
(rightly or wrongly) attached to sectarian politics throughout the
region. Most importantly, it situates this sectarianism within the
broader economic and political contexts of the Saudi kingdom, and
explains its function and utility in the larger project of shaping
Saudi national identity … there is little doubt that this is a
valuable contribution to the field and required reading for all
serious historians of the modern Middle East.' Alexander Khaleeli,
Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies
'Matthiessen's excellent volume is an objective historical analysis
of the Twelver Shi'ah, largely in the Eastern Province, and to a
much lesser extent … of the Ismā'īlīs in Najran.' Anthony McRoy,
The Muslim World Book Review
'… Matthiesen provides an impressive analysis of primary documents
that have never been studied before, some of which remain in
private hands. His reconstruction of Shia history and
self-understanding is nuanced and rich …' Natana Delong-Bas,
E-International Relations (www.e-ir.info)
'Matthiesen describes the often difficult lives of two million
Shias in eastern Saudi Arabia - many of them employees of oil
companies - whose right to practice their form of Islam contracts
and expands according to royal whim … Most striking of all is
Matthiesen's meticulous portrayal of contemporary Shiism.' Nicolas
Pelham, The New York Review of Books
'Through his detailed analysis, Matthiesen shows that sectarianism
is not ingrained but has evolved over the years and depends on
political and social circumstances that influenced specific
institutions, ideologies, state policies, social practices.' Roel
Meijer, Middle East Journal
'Matthiesen's The Other Saudis is a good example of a historically
grounded approach to the study of sectarianism and communal
politics. It presents an exhaustive account of the predicament of
Saudi Arabia's little known Shia community, which is caught in the
crossfire between the royal family and the Wahhabis and Saudi
Arabia and Iran.' Vikas Kumar, Journal of Asian Security and
International Affairs
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