Shi'ism: A Religion of Protest.

Cambridge, MA: Belknap / Harvard University Press, 2011. Paperback octavo, very good condition, bottom edge rear cover scuffed, minor edgewear & rubbing. 413 pp. For a Western world anxious to understand Islam and, in particular, Shi ism, this book by Hamid Dabashi arrives with urgently needed information and critical analysis. Exposes the soul of Shi'ism as a religion of protest - successful only when in a warring position, and losing its legitimacy when in power. A detailed discussion of the Shia doctrinal foundations, a panoramic view of its historical unfolding, a varied investigation into its visual and performing arts, and finally a focus on the three major sites of its contemporary contestations: Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. In these states, Shi'ism has ceased to be a sect within the larger context of Islam and has instead emerged to claim global political attention.