Revolution without Revolutionaries: Making Sense of the Arab Spring (Stanford Studies in Middle Eastern and Islamic Societies and Cultures)

The revolutionary wave that swept the Middle East in 2011 was marked by spectacular mobilization, spreading within and between countries with extraordinary speed. Several years on, however, it has caused limited shifts in structures of power, leaving much of the old political and social order intact. In this book, noted author Asef Bayat—whose __Life as Politics__ anticipated the Arab Spring—uncovers why this occurred, and what made these uprisings so distinct from those that came before. __Revolution without Revolutionaries__ is both a history of the Arab Spring and a history of revolution writ broadly. Setting the 2011 uprisings side by side with the revolutions of the 1970s, particularly the Iranian Revolution, Bayat reveals a profound global shift in the nature of protest: as acceptance of neoliberal policy has spread, radical revolutionary impulses have diminished. Protestors call for reform rather than fundamental transformation. By tracing the contours and illuminating the meaning of the 2011 uprisings, Bayat gives us the book needed to explain and understand our post–Arab Spring world. A study of the Arab Spring and its aftermath alongside the revolutions of the 1970s. The revolutionary wave that swept the Middle East in 2011 was marked by spectacular mobilization, spreading within and between countries with extraordinary speed. Several years on, however, it has caused limited shifts in structures of power, leaving much of the old political and social order intact. In this book, noted author Asef Bayat—whose Life as Politics anticipated the Arab Spring—uncovers why this occurred, and what made these uprisings so distinct from those that came before. Revolution without Revolutionaries is both a history of the Arab Spring and a history of revolution writ broadly. Setting the 2011 uprisings side by side with the revolutions of the 1970s, particularly the Iranian Revolution, Bayat reveals a profound global shift in the nature of protest: as acceptance of neoliberal policy has spread, radical revolutionary impulses have diminished. Protestors call for reform rather than fundamental transformation. By tracing the contours and illuminating the meaning of the 2011 uprisings, Bayat gives us the book needed to explain and understand our post–Arab Spring world. Praise for Revolution without Revolutionaries "Bayat is in the vanguard of a subtle and original theorization of social movements and social change in the Middle East. His attention to the lives of the urban poor, his extensive field work in very different countries within the region, and his ability to see over the horizon of current paradigms make his work essential reading." —Juan Cole, University of Michigan "An astute analyst of the Middle East, Asef Bayat is one of the very few researchers equipped to historicize the region's contemporary uprisings. In Revolution without Revolutionaries , he deftly and sympathetically employs his own observations of Iran, immediately before and after the 1979 revolution, to reflect on the epochal shifts that have re-worked the political regimes, economic structures, and revolutionary imaginaries across the region today." —Arang Keshavarzian, New York University "Bayat provocatively questions the Arab Spring's apparent moderation, tracing its softness to decades of neoliberalism that have undermined the national state and discarded old-fashioned forms of revolutionary violence. This groundbreaking book is not an obituary for the Arab Spring but a hopeful glimpse at its future." —Olivier Roy, author of The Failure of Political Islam The Revolutionary Wave That Swept The Middle East In 2011 Was Marked By Spectacular Mobilization, Spreading Within And Between Countries With Extraordinary Speed. Several Years On, However, It Has Caused Limited Shifts In Structures Of Power, Leaving Much Of The Old Political And Social Order Intact. In This Book, Noted Author Asef Bayat-whose Life As Politics Anticipated The Arab Spring-uncovers Why This Occurred, And What Made These Uprisings So Distinct From Those That Came Before. This Is Both A History Of The Arab Spring And A History Of Revolution Writ Broadly. Setting The 2011 Uprisings Side By Side With The Revolutions Of The 1970s, Particularly The Iranian Revolution, Bayat Reveals A Profound Global Shift In The Nature Of Protest: As Acceptance Of Neoliberal Policy Has Spread, Radical Revolutionary Impulses Have Diminished. Protestors Call For Reform Rather Than Fundamental Transformation. By Tracing The Contours And Illuminating The Meaning Of The 2011 Uprisings, Bayat Gives Us The Book Needed To Explain And Understand Our Post-arab Spring World. Revolutions Of Wrong Times -- Marx In The Islamic Revolution -- Revolution In The Everyday -- Not A Theology Of Liberation -- Cities Of Dissent -- Square And Counter-square -- The Spring Of Surprise -- Half Revolution, No Revolution -- Radical Impulses Of The Social -- The Agony Of Transition -- Revolution And Hope. Asef Bayat. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 Table of Contents 10 Preface 12 1. Revolutions of Wrong Times 18 2. Marx in the Islamic Revolution 46 3. Revolution in the Everyday 66 4. Not a Theology of Liberation 86 5. Cities of Dissent 110 6. Square and Counter-Square 130 7. The Spring of Surprise 152 8. Half Revolution, No Revolution 170 9. Radical Impulses of the Social 196 10. The Agony of Transition 222 11. Revolution and Hope 236 Notes 246 Index 292 A 292 B 293 C 294 D 295 E 296 F 297 G 298 H 298 I 299 J 301 K 301 L 301 M 302 N 303 O 304 P 304 R 305 S 306 T 308 U 310 V 310 W 310 Y 311 Z 311