The Shi'a of Lebanon: Clans, Parties and Clerics (Library of Modern Middle East Studies)

The Shi'a of Lebanon have emerged in the last twenty years to become a major force in Lebanese politics having long been a marginalized political community. Rodger Shanahan's book examines the reasons behind this transformation from a largely rural population dominated by a handful of elite families, to an assertive sectarian force whose new found power is exemplified by the emergence of Shi'a parties such as Amal and Hizballah.