Algeria: Anger of the Dispossessed

by John Phillips, Martin Evans

After liberating itself from French colonial rule in one of the twentieth century’s most brutal wars of independence, Algeria became a standard-bearer for the non-aligned movement. By the 1990s, however, its revolutionary political model had collapsed, degenerating into a savage conflict between the military and Islamist guerillas that killed some 200,000 citizens. 

In this lucid and gripping account, Martin Evans and John Phillips explore Algeria’s recent and very bloody history, demonstrating how the high hopes of independence turned into anger as young Algerians grew increasingly alienated. Unemployed, frustrated by the corrupt military regime, and excluded by the West, the post-independence generation needed new heroes, and some found them in Osama bin Laden and the rising Islamist movement. 

Evans and Phillips trace the complex roots of this alienation, arguing that Algeria’s predicament — political instability, pressing economic and social problems, bad governance, a disenfranchised youth — is emblematic of an arc of insecurity stretching from Morocco to Indonesia. Looking back at the pre-colonial and colonial periods, they place Algeria’s complex present into historical context, demonstrating how successive governments have manipulated the past for their own ends. The result is a fractured society with a complicated and bitter relationship with the Western powers — and an increasing tendency to export terrorism to France, America, and beyond.

Genres: Algeria, History, Africa, Nonfiction, War, Northern Africa, Politics

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 14, 2008

Reviews

[Justin Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prose is very, very dull--not difficult to read, but just an effort. But the book is such a great telling of Algeria's recent history that I'm willing to overlook the writing. If you're interested, and you should be, you should read this book. Know, however, that the early chapters are the weakest (incredibly broad history of the distant, distant past... very broad history of the colonial past... not very enlightening). But after decolonization things really pick up, and it's a disturbing, but 'enjoyable' read. E&P's interpretation of the history is, in sum: any time the country started to get some sort of stability, either a leader would die, the economy would crash, or some other external event would impose itself to ruin that chance of stability. Very sad reading.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is getting its four-star for the material AFTER the first couple chapters, because it's only then that it takes up, in some real and more interesting detail, its really important subject matter. The authors' research and expertise is clearly best-suited to cover from about the 70s on, and the depth they get to when doing so is fantastic- every major killing, they're ably dissecting the story behind the official story. Every major permutation in youth sentiment, they're citing major musical and cultural influences and representations. Immensely useful reading to someone looking to 'get' Algeria.

[Sandra D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stunning, bloody history of Algeria from French colonial rule to the present day. The country remains a volatile pressure cooker of governmental corruption, religious extremism, human rights abuses, sky-high unemployment, poverty, and lack of hope for most of its citizens -- yet it's still a valued partner in Bush's WOT!

I wish I could rate this book higher, but the writing was rather dry and I had a hard time keeping all the names and acronyms straight.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems fitting that I would finish this book on the anniversary of 9/11. The history of Algeria is important for the United States on tactical, strategic, military, and political levels. Much of what happened in Algerian from the early-20th century until today foreshadowed the rise of terrorism and extremist political Islam. What can we learn from this example about the difficulties that we face (and will face) as the world we know reconciles itself with the world we will make.

"What these populations (those living under regimes characterized by corruption and poor government) aspire to and how they perceive the West is the major issue in international politics, because the brutal truth is that the anger of the post-colonial dispossessed will not go away. This is a fury that has the potential to endure for decades to come." - p300.

[Ajay · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exceptional historical analysis, extremely relevant to understanding modern Algeria (with patterns that echo across the middle east). I found so much new depth and understanding of Algeria's history from this book. The most incredible part was the nuanced discussion of differing narratives on Algerian history -- each political group looks to the past in different ways to establish their legitimacy and the stories they tell are shaped by those desires.

The book fell short of 5 stars only in it's last few sections on the period of violence that rocked Algeria in the 1990s. The book didn't have much analysis / theory on the conflict -- instead reading a bit more like a news reel of what happened. It's incredibly well-researched coverage, but fails to engage with the core themes.

[Wendy Chamberlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first book to cover as I try to read across the continent this year. It was also one of my first reads on Algerian history and it was both interesting and hard to follow given how the authors kept jumping around chronologically. To say the history presented is complex is an understatement, but it did help me understand a bit more about Algeria’s story and current events/headlines.

[Peter Grimbeek · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book. Clear exposition not only of historical contexts but also of ideological and personal twists and turns along the way.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written, compelling survey of Algeria's violent 90s nestled within a broader argument about the Algerian war's political, cultural, and economic legacy. The sometimes polemical tone did not bother me until the last major chapter, when a few errors cast doubt on the soundness of the research, at least with respect to the period after 2011. Regardless, the coverage of the 90s, and the interweaving of historical events with cultural, artistic, and sociological context was very nice.