Description: Sheila Carapico's book on civic participation in modern Yemen makes a pathbreaking contribution to the study of political culture in Arabia. The author traces the complexities of Yemen's history over the past fifty years, considering its response to the colonial encounter and to years of civil unrest. Challenging the stereotypical view of conservative Arab Muslim society, she demonstrates how the country is actively seeking to develop the political, economic and social structures of the modern democratic state. This is an important book that promises to become the definitive statement on twentieth-century Yemen.
Review Quotes: "Carapico is most convincing in calling for an expanded understanding of Arab civil society. Her evidence about the myriad ways Yemeni citizens have participated in political life, tried to shape their communities, and improved their economic circumstances is difficult to refute and makes for a fascinating read. This book forces us to think about Arab civil society in a new way...the originiality and relevance of Carapico's thesis about civil society and the vast amount of theoretical, historical, economic, and political ground she covers ensures it is indeed path-breaking." Middle East Insight