In this meticulously researched book packed with new discoveries, Zelin provides a comprehensive history of Tunisian jihadism, one of the least studied branches of the jihadi movement. But Your Sons Are at Your Service is much more than a country case study; it provides important insights on broader topics such as post-revolutionary politics, Salafi activism, foreign fighting, rebel recruitment, jihadi ideology, the Islamic State, and the war in Libya. This book should be on the shelf of any serious student of the modern Middle East.
Thomas Hegghammer, author of Jihad in Saudi Arabia: Violence and Pan-Islamism since 1979
Backed by an astonishing body of research, Your Sons Are At Your Service is a sweeping, authoritative history of Tunisian jihadism, with new revelations on almost every page. Aaron Y. Zelin is one of the most respected scholars studying terrorism at the top of his game in this debut book.
J. M. Berger, author of Extremism
Few books are as accomplished as Zelin’s detailed and insightful history of the Tunisian Jihadi-Salafis and how they contributed and participated in the struggle for the creation of an Islamic state over the last four decades… The book is an impressive achievement and should be required reading for all those interested in Salafism, political violence and the history of a much neglected aspect of Tunisian politics and society both before and after the 2011 revolution.
Francesco Cavatorta, Université Laval/Laval University
The thoroughness and clarity of Your Sons Are at Your Service ultimately make it required reading on North Africa. The book is often encyclopedic. It is, and will likely remain, the definitive work on Tunisian jihadism.
Alex Thurston, University of Cincinnati
Zelin fills a lacuna in the jihadism literature, in which there is a paucity of studies on Tunisian jihadism. Scholars interested in other countries will find his study an important empirical point of departure for their own works
Sebastian Elischer, University of Florida
[Zelin’s book is] rich in detail for those studying the phenomenon of jihadi terrorism.
Rukmini Callimachi, Correspondent for The New York Times covering the Islamic State and al-Qaeda
Fantastic book [with] fascinating details on Tunisian jihadist networks from Afghanistan to Europe and Algeria.
Marc Lynch, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University, where he director of both the Institute for Middle East Studies and the Middle East Studies Program
Zelin presents a striking and unique study of the Tunisian jihadist mobilization in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, its historical roots in the 1980s and in the global jihadist movement. He has conducted extremely valuable and innovative research, collecting data and speaking with activists and leaders in the extremist circles on the ground in Tunisia. The book cements Zelin’s reputation as an expert in his field, prized for his independent voice on this critical subject.
Jytte Klausen, Brandeis University
To understand modern jihadism as an ideology and a dogma, the Tunisian jihadi movement provides a unique case. They were among the first, the most dedicated, and the most radical international recruits, challenging authorities at home and abroad. Some challenged the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and even the Islamic State. Zelin gives a glimpse into the past and future of jihadism through the Tunisian scope.
Wassim Nasr, France 24
The book should be studied and not just read, since reading it would not be enough to absorb the huge amount of knowledge provided by this study.
European Eye on Radicalization
This is more than just a great book on the history of jihadism in Tunisia. It is also a valuable study of how jihadist groups are adapting in the post Arab Spring era.
Scott Stewart, Vice President of Stratfor’s Threat Lens
Zelin’s book is the essential foundation for anybody trying to assess the Jihadi Question in Tunisia, but that limited scope does not mean the question — and the answers — are of significance only for Tunisia.
Although some studies have been carried out on Islamist groups in Tunisia and among them on the organisation of Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia (AST), Aaron Y. Zelin’s book Your Sons Are at Your Service – Tunisia’s Missionaries of Jihad is so far the only one that provides an elaborated view on this topic, and in great detail.
János Besenyő, University of Óbuda
Die zweifellos die bis dato umfassendste und erkenntnisreichste Monografie zur Genese des Jihadismus in Tunesien sowie zur Rolle von Tunesierinnen in der globalen jihadistischen Bewegung darstellt. Die Lektüre von Zelins Your Sons Are At Your Service lohnt sich für eine Vielzahl an Forscherinnen nicht nur in den Politik- und Sozialwissenschaften, Regionalwissenschaften und der Islamwissenschaft, sie dürfte auch für all jene bereichernd sein, die sich für Governance nicht-staatlicher Akteure interessieren oder die Entwicklung der globalen jihadistischen Szene verfolgen.
Per l’accurata analisi storica, il meticoloso lavoro documentale e la lunga e attenta ricerca sul campo, Your Sons at Your Service: Tunisia’s missionaries of Jihad di Aaron J. Zelin risulta una lettura essenziale per chiunque sia interessato al contesto politico tunisino e, più in generale, allo sviluppo del jihadismo dopo le primavere arabe.
Claudia Annovi – Oasis Foundation
“يبقى كتاب “Your sons at your service” أو “أبناؤكم في خدمتكم. دُعاة تونس إلى الجهاد” للباحث الأمريكي في العلوم السياسية هارون زيلين مبحثًا أكاديميًا يزخر بالمعلومات عن الإرهاب وجذوره وأطرافه في تونس.”
Cet ouvrage est indispensable pour quiconque s’intéresse à l’étude du djihadisme et cherche à comprendre pourquoi autant de Tunisiens, pourtant réputés pacifiques et vivant en démocratie depuis 2011, ont, entre 2012 et 2019, grossi les rangs des groupes islamistes armés, notamment en Irak et en Syrie.
Michaël Ayari, International Crisis Group
Aaron Y. Zelin’in 2020 yılında çıkan Your Sons Are at Your Service: Tunisia’s Missionaries of Jihad isimli kitabı, Tunus’ta radikal İslamcılık konusunu ele alan en kapsamlı ve derinlemesine araştırmalara. Eserin önemli ayırt edici yönü, radikal İslamcılığı yalnızca bir fenomen olarak ele almayıp onun örgüt üyeleri ve hayat öyküleri ile de kapsamlı bir şekilde anlaşılmasını sağlamaya çalışmasıdır. Son olarak yazar, dilinin sade, anlaşılır ve akıcı.
Rümeysa Köktaş, Sakarya University
One of the best new Middle East History books
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