Based on years of in-depth field research, this book unravels the complexities of the Yemeni state and its domestic politics with a particular focus on the post-1990 years. The central thesis is that Yemen continues to suffer from regional fragmentation which has endured for centuries. En route the book discusses the rise of President Salih, his tribal and family connections, Yemen's civil war in 1994, the war's consequences later in the decade, the spread of radical movements after the US military response to 9/11 and finally developments leading to the historic events of 2011. This book sets a new standard for scholarship on Yemeni politics and it is essential reading for anyone interested in the modern Middle East, the 2011 Arab revolts and twenty-first-century Islamic politics.
• In a challenge to earlier scholarship, this path-breaking study suggests that Yemen's recent revolution was caused by centuries of regional fragmentation • Based on in-depth research in the region, the book covers politics, Islamic radicalism and social unrest in the post-1990 years • Essential reading for students in Middle East politics, history, anthropology and Islam
Contents
Introduction; 1. Understanding the regional divisions of Yemen; 2. Two revolutions, two republics; 3. Salih family rules and the Sanham tribe; 4. Unity in name only; 5. The spoils of civil war; 6. A regime in control?; 7. Political eruptions after 9/11; 8. The return of Yemeni regionalism; 9. Yemen's political meltdown; Conclusion.
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