Asef Bayat Books

An updated and expanded look at how under the shadow of authoritarian rule, ordinary people can make meaningful change through the practices of everyday life in the Middle East.

The revolutionary wave that swept the Middle East in 2011 was marked by spectacular mobilization, spreading within and between countries with extraordinary speed. Several years on, however, it has caused limited shifts in structures of power, leaving much of the old political and social order intact. In this book, noted author Asef Bayat--whose Life as Politics anticipated the Arab Spring--uncovers why this occurred, and what made these uprisings so distinct from those that came before. Revolution without Revolutionaries is both a history of the Arab Spring and a history of revolution writ broadly. Setting the 2011 uprisings side by side with the revolutions of the 1970s, particularly the Iranian Revolution, Bayat reveals a profound global shift in the nature of protest: as acceptance of neoliberal policy has spread, radical revolutionary impulses have diminished. Protestors call for reform rather than fundamental transformation. By tracing the contours and illuminating the meaning of the 2011 uprisings, Bayat gives us the book needed to explain and understand our post-Arab Spring world.

The book explores the relationship between Islam and democracy, challenging the notion that democratic values stem from religious texts. It argues that democracy emerges from political struggles within diverse Muslim communities, which can lead to either democratic or authoritarian outcomes. Asef Bayat introduces concepts of "Islamism" and "post-Islamism," highlighting how these movements influence the political trajectory of Islam, resulting in varying degrees of inclusivity and authoritarianism. This nuanced analysis shifts the focus from religion to social dynamics in understanding governance in Muslim contexts.

This book looks anew at the vexing question of whether Islam is compatible with democracy, examining histories of Islamic politics and social movements in the Middle East since the 1970s.

The Arab Spring may not have achieved regime change, but the uprising did foster meaningful reforms. Asef Bayat shows how waves of protest transformed ordinary life in farms and factories, souks and schools. In Egypt and Tunisia, women, workers, poor people, and the queer community can credit the Arab Spring with steps toward equality and freedom.

Das Buch liefert den Schlüssel zum Verständnis des 'arabischen Frühlings', indem es zeigt, wie es den gewöhnlichen Leuten unter den autoritären Regimes gelang, neue Räume sozialer Interaktion zu schaffen, in denen sie ihre Anliegen artikulieren und sich als soziale Subjekte behaupten konnten. Bayats Arbeit gilt international als das Standardwerk zur Vorgeschichte der arabischen Revolution.