Syria: From the Great War to Civil War - Hardcover

3.82

367 ratings by Goodreads

9780863567537: Syria: From the Great War to Civil War

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0863567533 ISBN 13: 9780863567537

Publisher: Saqi Books, 2014

Syria's descent into civil war has already claimed an estimated 150,000 lives while nearly nine million people have fled their homes. This is now the greatest humanitarian and political crisis of the twenty-first century. In this hard-hitting book, John McHugo considers why Syria's foundations as a nation have proved so fragile. Tracing the history of Syria from the First World War to the present, McHugo lays bare the causes of the current tragedy. He takes in the country's thwarted attempts at independence, the legacies of the Anglo-French partition that fragmented it, and the failures of divisive French policies. He then turns to recent events: religious and sectarian tensions that have pulled Syria apart, the pressures of the Cold War and the Arab-Israeli dispute, and two generations of rule by the Assads. Did Syria ever have a chance? The conclusions drawn in this timely account are uncomfortable for both Westerners and Arabs alike.

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About the Author:

John McHugo is an international lawyer and Arabist, with over forty years' experience of the region. A board member of the Council for Arab-British Understanding and a director of the British Egyptian Society, McHugo is also chair of the Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine. His writing has featured in History Today, The World Today and on the BBC News website, and his debut work, 'A Concise History of the Arabs', was published to critical acclaim in 2013. McHugo was shortlisted for the Salon Transmission Prize in 2014.

Review:

'Enlightening' Robert Fisk, the Independent '[Provides] a real insight into the political fragility that underpins much of what caused the current civil war - remarkably prescient - At the very start of this enlightening read, McHugo makes the point that to the English-speaking world, Syria is a far off country which relatively few people have made a serious effort to understand. In writing this insightful and timely book, he has gone some considerable way to rectifying this neglect.' Sunday Herald 'Tell us with inspirational force how the Syrians have found the ability the speak out' TLS '[A] very timely modern history of Syria ... McHugo provides the reader with a high level of sound analysis ... The book is written both with academic scrutiny and with the empathy of an individual who cares greatly for his area of study.' Journal of Peace Research '[McHugo] explains the sectarian faultiness the led to the present war. Scholarly but accessible, McHugo does not prophesise or offer simplistic solutions' The Tablet 'A must-read for those who seek an informed opinion about Syria's civil war, far removed from propaganda and bias. The text is complemented by a chronology of Syria's history, five excellent maps and an extensive bibliography.' Jordan Times 'McHugo uncovers uncanny parallels between the pacification strategies of the French in the 1920s and the Bashar al-Assad regime today, exposing the continuous role of violence in the region's (flawed) state formation.' Raymond Hinnebusch, Centre for Syrian Studies, University of St Andrews 'A fluent introduction to Syria's recent past, this book provides the backstory to the country's collapse into brutal civil conflict' Andrew Arsan, St John's College, University of Cambridge

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