E-raamat: Arduous Paths: On the Theory and Practice of Democratic Transition

Building on Bisharas previous works, this book crafts new coordinates for thinking about how the process of reformist revolution can successfully happen in the Arab-speaking regions. Drawing prudently on a wide range of literature, the treatment of the subject is compelling, cosmopolitan and timely. -- John Keane, Professor of Politics, University of Sydney, and author of Demagogues and Despots: Democracies on the Brink Producing a book on democratic transition in an era of precipitous democratic decline in the heartlands of major democracies is a challenging undertaking. But this insightful work takes this problem head on, shining a deeply critical, even iconoclastic, light on received thinking on democracy and democratisation. Foregrounding cases from the periphery, including the Middle East and Latin America, among others, it contextualises the debate within a bold rethinking of modernisation transition theories, taking the reader into very unfamiliar ground. -- Abdelwahab El-Affendi, President and Provost, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, and co-editor of After the Arab Revolutions: Decentring Democratic Transition Theory A comprehensive survey of the literature on democratic transitions, assessing their value and applicability to the Arab worldparticularly, but not exclusively, the 2011 uprisings and their aftermath. Bishara is one of the Arab worlds most prominent intellectuals, hence there exists a key audience of Arab readers who will read his work. -- Marc Lynch, Professor of Political Science, George Washington University, and author of Americas Middle East: The Ruination of a Region A fascinating analysis by a prominent Arab intellectual, offering his perspective on foundational democratisation theories and what the West can learn from the Arab world. It should garner interest among a wide readership and will be an important addition to the public debate. -- Dana El-Kurd, Professor in the Department of Political Science, University of Richmond, and author of Polarized and Demobilized: Legacies of Authoritarianism in Palestine