This insightful book will be of great interest to scholars, government officials, and those concerned with understanding the complex world of Central Asia. Highly recommended. -- S.A. Kochanek, Pennsylvania State University * CHOICE *
Illuminates, for the first time, the varied complexities of largely clandestine movements shaped by contradictory and often opaque currents. The author's mastery of this unusual body of sources on a topic central to contemporary international politics sets it apart from other works of this kind. -- Robert Crews, Stanford University
A 'must-read' for anyone who is interested in political Islam, its origins and role in modern Central Asia, and the linkages between Central Asia and the broader Muslim world. This essential book offers a long-overdue introduction to the extensive, highly original, and invaluable work of one of Russia's leading scholars. -- Fiona Hill, The Brookings Institution
How better to understand the nature and scope of the challenge raised by radical Islam in Central Asia than to probe deeply the biography of the three key movements active in the region-one violent, allied to al Qaeda, and focused on overturning a key regime in Uzbekistan; a second, non-violent and committed to a global caliphate; and the third, increasingly tamed and part of conventional politics in Tajikistan. Naumkin brings to the task not only the erudition of a scholar of medieval Islam, but years of first-hand encounters with the region and with a broad spectrum of people within both the Islamic and governmental communities. -- Robert Legvold, Columbia University
Vitaly Naumkin, one of Russia's foremost authorities on the Muslim world and the Middle East, has brought together his deep knowledge and experience to produce this outstanding study of the forces of change in the realm of Islam in Central Asia. -- Anoush Ehteshami, Durham University * University Of Durham *
This fine book offers an extraordinarily well-informed and insightful examination of political Islam in Central Asia and of its place in the broader phenomenon of political Islam across the Muslim world. Likely to be the standard reference on the topic for some time to come. -- Graham E. Fuller, author of The Future of Political Islam
Naumkin is uniquely situated to have brought all this information and analysis to foreign readers. He has the scholarly knowledge of the region acquired through years of research, the first-hand contacts to actually make contact with some of the actors and the ability to make sense of it. For these reasons alone we should be very grateful that he has brought forth these sources and analyses that no specialist in Central Asia can afford to miss. -- Stephen Blank * Central Asian Survey *
Vitaly Naumkin's accessible and well-written book makes a significant contribution to the debate about militant Islam in Central Asia....Naumkin's conclusion that repressive policies of the authorities have been counterproductive remains convincing. His book serves as a reminder that the best way to counter Islamic militancy is principled support for the rule of law and democratic freedoms. -- Alisher Khamidov * Central Asian Survey *
Drawing on a range of sources to provide detailed accounts of the history, organisation, activities and ideologies of the movements and the biographies of key actors, [Naumkin] goes a long way to untangle the myths and stereotypes that have surrounded the phenomenon of radical Islam in the region. -- Maria Louw * Central Asian Survey *
In this authoritative study, Vitaly V. Naumkin provides essential reading on the origins of Central Asian extremist groups and their role in the region today....The wealth of detail and the numerous translated documents that support his discussion and conclusions make this a fascinating and often unsettling account....He demonstrates that the minority of Islamic militants draw on the anger and frustration felt by ordinary Muslims, who see no other viable alternatives to their current governments that cannot-or will not-respond to their citizens' needs. This is an important message indeed, and it makes Naumkin's book vital to understanding the potency of militant Islam in Central Asia * Journal of Asian Studies *
