{"product_id":"sextarianism-sovereignty-secularism-and-the-state-in-lebanon","title":"Sextarianism: Sovereignty, Secularism, and the State in Lebanon","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Sextarianism: Sovereignty, Secularism, and the State in Lebanon, the reviewer finds Maya Mikdashi's book essential for readers who want a rigorous, documentbased analysis of how law and sect shape everyday life in Lebanon. The book's single biggest reason to buy is its sustained argument that sex, sexuality, and sect are not marginal topics but central mechanisms through which the Lebanese state produces political subjects; the review highlights the author's use of court archives and ethnography to support this thesis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArchival research:\u003c\/strong\u003e Extensive use of court archives and public records provides grounded historical evidence that clarifies how legal practices have shaped sectarian governance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnography of the Court of Cassation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Close ethnographic observation of Lebanon's highest civil court offers concrete examples of how bureaucratic processes produce legal personhood.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTheory of biopolitical subjects:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book theorizes how people across gender and religious lines become subjects through administrative, ideological, and legal techniques, making abstract theory tangible.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFocus on kinship law:\u003c\/strong\u003e Detailed attention to sect-specific kinship laws, including marriage and inheritance, shows how private domains are regulated by the state.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIntersections of secularism and sovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e The work situates secular power sharing within sectarian structures to explain the persistence of legal pluralism in Lebanon.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is for scholars and students in political science, gender studies, Middle Eastern studies, and legal anthropology who need a disciplined, sourcebased account of how law and sectarianism intersect in Lebanon. It will also interest activists and policy researchers looking for analysis linking legal form to social difference.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders seeking a general history of Lebanon, a narrative political biography, or a brief popular account of sectarian politics should look elsewhere; Mikdashi's approach is scholarly, dense, and depends on legal and archival detail rather than broad journalistic storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCareful archival documentation strengthens the book's claims and makes its argument hard to dismiss.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe ethnography of the Court of Cassation illuminates otherwise opaque bureaucratic practices.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear theoretical framing connects sex and sexuality to state formation in unexpected but convincing ways.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe book's dense, academic style may be challenging for casual readers or those unfamiliar with theoretical language.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSextarianism: Sovereignty, Secularism, and the State in Lebanon\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaya Mikdashi\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePrimary focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLaw, sectarianism, and biopolitics in Lebanon\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSources\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCourt archives, public records, ethnography of the Court of Cassation\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTheoretical topics\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSecularism, sovereignty, sex and sexuality, kinship law\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaya Mikdashi's Sextarianism is a valuable, researchdriven contribution for readers who want to understand how legal pluralism and sectarian governance shape social life in Lebanon. Its archival depth and court ethnography make it particularly worth buying for academics and advanced students; despite a demanding style, the book offers excellent value as a rigorous, original intervention on law, sex, and state power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this book use primary sources?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. The book draws on court archives and public records as well as ethnographic work at the Court of Cassation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the book accessible to nonacademics?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIts scholarly and theoretical approach makes it better suited to readers with background in social sciences or legal studies rather than casual general readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat topics does the book cover?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt covers sectspecific kinship laws, secular power sharing, sovereignty, and how sex and sexuality are implicated in state formation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Maya Mikdashi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48235551064283,"sku":"1503628876","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/81LcUequaHL._SL1500.jpg?v=1770911561","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/sextarianism-sovereignty-secularism-and-the-state-in-lebanon","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}