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This book explores the tribal politics of the Awlad 'Ali Bedouin in the borderland of Egypt and Libya. These tribal politics are part of heterarchy in which sovereignty is shared between tribes, states and other groups and, within this dynamic setting, the local politicians of the Awlad 'Ali are essential producers of order beyond the framework of the nation state. Based on long-term fieldwork, this monograph is ideal for audiences interested in North African Politics, Libya, Egypt, and borderland studies.
List of contents
1. Chapter 1/Introduction.- 2. Chapter 2 Research in Times of Turmoil and the Merits of Participant Observation.- 3. Chapter 3 People, Places, and a Brief History.- 4. Chapter 4 Pioneers, Political Entrepreneurs and Heterarchy in the Borderland.- 5. Chapter 5 The Practice and Culture of Smuggling.- 6. Chapter 6: Tribes and Political Islam.- 7. Conclusion.
About the author
Thomas Hüsken is Senior Research Fellow at the Department for Ethnology of the University of Bayreuth, Germany.
Summary
This book explores the tribal politics of the Awlad ‘Ali Bedouin in the borderland of Egypt and Libya. These tribal politics are part of heterarchy in which sovereignty is shared between tribes, states and other groups and, within this dynamic setting, the local politicians of the Awlad ‘Ali are essential producers of order beyond the framework of the nation state. Based on long-term fieldwork, this monograph is ideal for audiences interested in North African Politics, Libya, Egypt, and borderland studies.
Additional text
“He has produced a rich study that makes an important contribution to our understanding of kinship and tribal politics. This book represents scholarship at the highest level and will be of interest to academics, diplomats and anyone else interested in non-state forms of sociopolitical organization in general and tribes in particular.” (Ronald Bruce, International Affairs, Vol. 96 (3), 2020)
“The book by Thomas Hüsken is one of the most important recent contributions to political anthropology. … Its rich ethnography, which uses data from decades of fieldwork, makes the book very readable. The glossary of local terms is very useful … . The span of theoretical and empirical literature is dazzling. The book should be read not only by anthropologists, but also by other social scientists, politicians and field practitioners.” (Petr Skalník, Sociologus, Vol. 69 (1), 2019)
Report
"He has produced a rich study that makes an important contribution to our understanding of kinship and tribal politics. This book represents scholarship at the highest level and will be of interest to academics, diplomats and anyone else interested in non-state forms of sociopolitical organization in general and tribes in particular." (Ronald Bruce, International Affairs, Vol. 96 (3), 2020)
"The book by Thomas Hüsken is one of the most important recent contributions to political anthropology. ... Its rich ethnography, which uses data from decades of fieldwork, makes the book very readable. The glossary of local terms is very useful ... . The span of theoretical and empirical literature is dazzling. The book should be read not only by anthropologists, but also by other social scientists, politicians and field practitioners." (Petr Skalník, Sociologus, Vol. 69 (1), 2019)
