MESA Book Awards

Rosie Bsheer

Harvard University

2021 Nikki Keddie Book Award Honorable Mention

Rosie Bsheer

Rosie Bsheer

Archive Wars: The Politics of History in Saudi Arabia
Stanford University Press

This book substantially reworks existing knowledge of Saudi Arabia--the making of the state, the legitimization of its power, and the centrality of diverse history-making projects in these projects. Drawing on rich ethnographic and archival work, the author convincingly argues that the ruling regime has been engaged in a project of re-writing Saudi history since the 1990s. Central to these history-making projects has been the “archive wars” and efforts to centralize archival sources, as well as re-making the built environment through urban planning and development. Sophisticated and engaging and politically bold.

Return to List

Stay Connected

MESA offers several ways to stay connected: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, as well as listservs and trusty email notifications. To find out more, please follow the link below.

Connect Now