ISIS: A History

417 Pages·2021·2.899 MB·English

by  Fawaz A. Gerges

Winner of the Gold Medal in Current Events,
In de pen dent Publisher Book Awards
A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Year
A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year
“One of the most coherent, comprehensive and persuasive
histories of ISIS to date.”
— RICHARD COCKETT, Literary Review
“This timely history gives a clear- sighted account of the ascent
of the so- called Islamic State (IS)— one with far- reaching implications.
The book’s findings and conclusions have profound relevance not
just for the future of IS in Iraq and Syria, but also for salafi jihadism,
regional security in the Middle East and North Africa and international
peace and security. . . . Written and edited with pellucid clarity,
ISIS: A History is an impor tant book that will have broad appeal
beyond academic, diplomatic and policymaking circles.”
— CHRIS HARMER, LSE Review of Books
“Gerges is clear, and it is here that the book excels, that Isis cannot
be explained in isolation but must be examined in the larger
sociopo liti cal context in which it emerged. . . . I SIS: A History
makes a welcome contribution to the debate, and will be
of interest to both general readers and specialists.”
— CHRISTINA HELLMICH, Times Higher Education
“A remarkably clear and detailed taxonomy of ISIS.”
— JEROME DONNELLY, Amer i ca
“Impressively detailed. . . . [Gerges’s] argument is all at once
persuasive, deeply depressing, yet hopeful.”
— DANIEL FLITTON, Sydney Morning Herald
“An essential read.”
— Publishers Weekly
“A thorough survey of the genesis of the Islamic State,
from al- Qaida wannabe to lethal caliphate. . . . [A] timely,
well- rendered exegesis of the unfolding global threat.”
— Kirkus Reviews
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“A comprehensive account. . . . This authoritative, empirically
rich study based on primary Arabic sources should be must reading
for policy makers, strategists, scholars, journalists, students, and
anyone seriously concerned about the human condition.”
— Choice
“Not just timely but unlikely ever to be bettered, this is an indispensable guide
to the evolution of the Arab world’s leading terrorist organ ization by a global
expert. Fawaz Gerges’s book is judicious, well argued, and based on a close
personal acquaintance with conditions in Iraq and Syria. It is unrivaled in its
ability to unravel the ideological and po liti cal power strug gles among ISIS
leaders. And it is an often shocking indictment of Western missteps in
dealing with the organ ization’s growing capacity to harm foreign interests.”
— ROGER OWEN, author of The Rise and Fall of Arab Presidents for Life
“Fawaz Gerges, long one of the most perceptive writers about the Middle East,
has written a lucid and erudite account of the rise of ISIS that will be
read with great profit by both specialists and the general public.”
— PETER BERGEN, author of United States of Jihad,
Manhunt, and The Longest War
“In the flood of recent publications about ISIS, Gerges provides a welcome
island of thoroughly researched analy sis by a major authority on extremist
Muslim movements. Both general readers and specialists will benefit
from Gerges’s balanced and well- informed understanding
of this impor tant and dangerous movement.”
— JOHN VOLL, professor emeritus, Georgetown University
“In this original and empirically rich study, Fawaz Gerges persuasively
analyzes the rise and power of ISIS. Building on his profound knowledge
of salafi and jihadi movements, he locates ISIS squarely in its context,
dissecting the ideas and po liti cal factors that have made it so surprisingly
formidable in Iraq and Syria, as well as disturbingly influential elsewhere.”
— CHARLES TRIPP, SOAS, University of London
“Fawaz Gerges is the right scholar to bring the history of ISIS past its
journalistic first draft. This should be a valuable source for
policymakers, specialists, and the public alike.”
— NOAH FELDMAN, Harvard Law School
“Fawaz Gerges is a first- class expert on con temporary Jihadist
movements. This book should have a wide readership.”
— IAN LUSTICK, University of Pennsylvania
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FAWAZ A. GERGES is chair of Cont emporary Middle East
Studies and professor of international relations at the London
School of Economics and Po liti cal Science. His many books in-
clude The New Middle East and The Far Enemy. His writing has
appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian,
Foreign Affairs, and other publications.
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I S I S
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A H I S T O RY
A H I S T O RY
A H I S T O RY
I S I S
I S I S
I S I S
FAWA Z A .
FAWA Z A .
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G E R G E S
G E R G E S
G E R G E S
With a new NpErWef EaDcITeI ObNy the author
With a new preface by the author
EXPANDED AND with
With a new preface by the author
a new preface by the author
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRIPNRCIENTCOENT OUNN IAVNEDR SOIXTYFO PRRDESS
PRINCETON AND OXFORD
PRINCETON AND OXFORD
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All Rights Reserved
First printing, 2016
Fifth printing, and first paperback printing, 2017
New edition, expanded and with a new preface by the author, 2021
Library of Congress Control Number 2021936411
ISBN 978-0-691-21191-6
ISBN (e-book) 978-0-691-21192-3
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To the Yazidi women who have suffered the brunt
of ISIS’s “culture cleansing” with such fortitude. Their
courage in the midst of a sea of savagery is living
testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
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