Rojava : an alternative to imperialism, nationalism, and islamism in the Middle East : (an introduction)

This introduction to "Rojava: An Alternative to Imperialism, Nationalism, and Islamism in the Middle East" looks at how the Rojava Revolution came into being in the largely-Kurdish communities of northern Syria from 2012 onwards. It also gives an overview of the context within which this experience arose. The main purpose of this book, however, is to summarise what has been happening in Rojava, evaluate the ideology behind it, and show why it is a truly inspirational process. In short, it is a must have for anyone wanting to learn more about contemporary Middle Eastern politics and the real-world search for an alternative to oppression, exploitation, and violence. Foreword 4 Introduction 6 Part One: Imperialism and Nationalism Chapter 1 – The Muslim World after the Fall of the Ottoman Empire 7 Chapter 2 – Nasser and the Corruption of Civic Arab Nationalism 36 Chapter 3 – Ba’athism and Ethnic Arab Nationalism 48 Chapter 4 – The Kurdish Question 88 Part Two: Imperialism and Islamism Chapter 5 – Imperialism and the Islamist Cold War between Saudi Arabia and Iran 105 Chapter 6 – The 21st Century Imperialist Assault on the Middle East 196 Chapter 7 – Islamism, Wahhabism, and ISIS 242 Part Three: A Left-Wing Alternative Chapter 8 – The Left-Wing Divided on the Syrian Civil War 331 Chapter 9 – The Renewal of the PKK in Turkey 345 Chapter 10 – The Example of Rojava 408 Chapter 11 – Rojava, ISIS, and the Battle for Humanity 487 Chapter 12 – The Five-Way Battle for Kobanî 562 Epilogue 680