Book review: Intellectuals and civil society in the MiddleEast: liberalism, modernity and political discourse

While much scholarly attention has been given to the intelligentsia in the West, a full analysis of the social role of intellectuals in the Middle East has been lacking. Covering a diverse range of key thinkers on the Middle East from Edward Said and Halim Barakat to Abd al-Rahman al- Kawakibi and Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi, Intellectuals and Civil Society in the Middle East examines intellectuals’ connections to social movements, street politics, and democracy and its prospects in the region. Charles Tripp finds that the volume combines many fascinating themes but is ill-served by its Index.