1
of
1
Houses Built on Sand
Violence, Sectarianism and Revolution in the Middle East
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$7999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
Houses Built on Sand
$7999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Ideal for readers interested in political science, Middle Eastern studies, and contemporary history, including students, scholars, and policy analysts seeking a sophisticated analysis of sovereign power and regional conflicts.
Latest News
Shirl and Lizzy Review The Starving Bride
Catherine Chidgey does it again with another incredible novel that will have people talking for...
Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reads for the Spooky Season
We asked our Sci-Fi and Fantasy reader, Edd, to share his recs for Spooky Season...
Review: In the Room
An emotional and authentic retelling of an extraordinary chapter in our countryβs history. Andrew Campbellβs...
An Evening with Ryan Holiday: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life
I was lucky enough to see Ryan Holiday speak in Auckland on Tuesday night. I've...
Emma Galloway visits Book Hero
We we delighted to have chef and author, Emma Galloway, visit Hero HQ to promote...
See moreThis book explores the Arab Uprisings and the instability that engulfed the region in the following years. It argues that to understand the events of the uprisings we must look at relations between rulers and ruled along with the strategies used by regimes to exert sovereign power.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
The events of the Arab Uprisings posed an existential challenge to sovereign power across the Middle East. Whilst popular movements resulted in the toppling of authoritarian rule in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen, other regimes were able to withstand these pressures.
Houses Built on Sand questions why some regimes fell whilst others were able to survive. Drawing on the work of political theorists such as Agamben and Arendt, Mabon explores the ways in which sovereign power is contested, resulting in the fragmentation of political projects across the region.
Combining an innovative theoretical approach with interviews with people across the region and beyond, Mabon paints a picture of Middle Eastern politics dominated by elites seeking to maintain power and wealth, seemingly at whatever cost. This, for Mabon, is a consequence of the emergence and development of particular visions of political projects that harness or marginalise identities, communities, ideologies, and faiths as mechanisms designed to ensure their survival.
This book is essential reading for those interested in understanding why the uprisings took place, their geopolitical consequences, and why they are likely to happen again.
Series: Identities and Geopolitics in the Middle East
View all-
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
The year 1973 is usually considered the great equaliser among major oil producers. However, the "Visions" strategies of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, regarded as a middle power and small state respectively in the Middle East regional system, highlight the enhancement of economic power through broader economic relations. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates explores the impact...Hardback$39600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Houses Built on Sand
The events of the Arab Uprisings posed an existential challenge to sovereign power across the Middle East. Whilst popular movements resulted in the toppling of authoritarian rule in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen, other regimes were able to withstand these pressures. Houses Built on Sand questions why some regimes fell whilst others were able to survive. Drawing on the work of...Paperback$7999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Iraq's Shi'a warriors
By examining the PMU's self-positioning as a pillar of Iraq's defence infrastructure, Iraq's Shi'a Warriors offers a critical perspective on the prospects for Security Sector Reform (SSR) and highlights the limitations of externally driven Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) efforts. This book speaks to scholars of Iraq and the Middle East, as well as diplomats, security actors, and SSR practitioners....Hardback$39600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Romanticizing masculinity in Baathist Syria
This book provides a novel analysis of the conceptual sources and ideological contours of the Assad regime. Romanticizing Masculinity in Baathist Syria documents the Baathists' fascination with romanticised and 'muscular' ideas of the nation that emerged in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century European social philosophy. It traces the implementation and impacts of these ideologies in the Syrian context. Emphasising the emergence of...Paperback$12600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Persian Gulf triangle
This book offers a nuanced snapshot of the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Persian Gulf, underlining the interaction between Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the US. Examining their interwoven relations since the 1970s, LuΓza Cerioli's framework reveals how changes in US-Saudi ties have ripple effects on Iran-US and Iran-Saudi relations and vice versa. Using a historical lens, she explores how enduring...Paperback$12600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Praised as a "creative intellectual tour de force" by Bassel Salloukh of Lebanese American University, the book offers a rich empirical and theoretical investigation. Nader Hashemi from the University of Denver highlights its rigorous research bridging political theory and Middle East studies, commending its fresh insights into sovereignty and political power amid ongoing regional turbulence. Reviewers note its importance for those seeking a deep philosophical understanding of the region's sectarian and political dynamics.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781526160348
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 07 September 2021
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 15.0mm
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 234.0mm
Weight: 386g
Pages: 272
About the Author
Simon Mabon is Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Director of the Richardson Institute at Lancaster University.
More from Education & Reference
View all-
Revenge of the Tipping Point
Twenty-five years after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand new volume that reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point in a startling and revealing light. What does the heartbreaking fate of the cheetah tell us about the way we raise our children? Why do elite universities care so much about sports? What is...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Body Keeps the Score
The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a compelling and compassionate exploration of the deep-seated impact of trauma on the human body and mind. This groundbreaking work delves into the complex causes of trauma and paints a vivid picture of the revolutionary treatments that are enabling countless individuals to reclaim their lives filled with purpose...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseSong of the Birds
A stunning and panoramic history of native birds in Aotearoa, from the bestselling author of The Meaning of Trees For millions of years, the song of the birds echoed throughout Aotearoa, with no one around to hear it. While the arrival of humans would transform their story forever - birds may have changed us even more. In this beautiful and...Hardback$4499Elsewhere:$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseLucky You're Tough
Lucky You're Tough chronicles the early life of helicopter pilot and NZSAS soldier Mark Law, from growing up in the rural wilds of WhangamΕmona through to surviving a series of life-threatening events that would shape his life and career. After a career as a badged soldier in the NZSAS that led to an intriguing stint with the British SAS and...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Age Code
What if the food you eat could rewind your biological clock? 'Clear and compelling' β Chris van Tulleken 'Really interesting and insightful' β Joe Wicks 'Fascinating' β Tim Spector From the rising incidence of cancer in the under-50s to increased infertility rates, there are signs everywhere that growing numbers of us are ageing too quickly. Why? Many believe thereβs one...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
One Last Question, Prime Minister
From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...Paperback$2800Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Fungi of Aotearoa
The complete introduction to finding, identifying and using mushrooms and other fungi in New Zealand. Enter and explore the fascinating world of fungi. In this practical and up-to-date guide, forager and fungus enthusiast Liv Sisson shares her top tips and takes the reader on a journey to discover the unique and diverse fungi Aotearoa has to offer. Discover how to...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Suicidal Empathy
The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...Paperback$3099Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
15% offMaori Made Easy Workbook 1/Kete 1
Maori Made Easy Workbook 1/Kete 1 by Scotty Morrison is the ultimate companion for anyone eager to learn the beautiful and complex Maori language. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to brush up on your skills, this workbook offers a structured and engaging way to immerse yourself in te reo Maori. Designed to be accessible regardless of your starting...Paperback$1700Elsewhere:$2500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New Release
Hormone Health is Mental Health
Hormone Health is Mental Health is a lifechanging guide to understanding perimenopause and midlife women's mental health - and how understanding your hormones is the first step to feeling like yourself again. This book is for women in their thirties, forties, and fifties who feel like they're falling apart. Women who feel like their brains and bodies are betraying them,...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
23% off1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four
In the drab and oppressive world of 1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell introduces us to Winston Smith, a man haunted by the omnipresent surveillance and control exercised by the Party and its enigmatic leader, Big Brother. Winston works diligently at the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter historical records to fit the ever-changing narrative dictated by the...Paperback$1000Usually:$1299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Kitchen Confidential
The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Irvine Welsh. BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN. βElizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantinoβ β A.A. Gill βFantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioliβ β Daily Telegraph After twenty-five years of sex,...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
