'Salafism in Yemen aptly deals with topics that are incredibly relevant for understanding a region in transition. ... Through years of on-the-ground field work in the remote corners and mountain towns of Yemen, [Bonnefoy] was able to integrate himself into, and thereby study, the country's Salafi movement. This was no small feat. ... Bonnefoy's over-arching argument is sound and increasingly ... Read moreimportant. Salafism is not simply a product of Saudi policy, and it is difficult to understand through the prism of the nation-state system. ... He does a fine job of breaking down of Western biases and goes some distance toward accomplishing his goal of "rescuing history" from the nation-state.'
The New Republic
'Salafism in Yemen is a fascinating, empirically rich investigation of an understudied but increasingly important part of today's Islamic politics. It is perhaps the best study yet produced of the intricate interactions of Yemeni salafism with Saudi Arabia and with the wider international Islamist milieu.'
Marc Lynch, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University
'This book is a splendid piece of research and will turn out be a classic on Salafism in Yemen. Laurent Bonnefoy manages not only to go beyond dominant state-centric approaches but he also surpasses conventional wisdoms and pretences that picture the development of Salafism in Yemen as a Saudi "project."'
Paul Aarts, University of Amsterdam, author of Saudi Arabia in the Balance Paul Aarts, University of Amsterdam, author of Saudi Arabia in the Balance
'Salafism is one of the most important and pervasive currents in the Muslim world - and yet it remains among the least understood aspects of contemporary Islam. Laurent Bonnefoy's masterful Salafism in Yemen goes a long way towards remedying this problem. Refuting the common misunderstanding of Salafism as a Saudi export, Bonnefoy's work explores the complex interplay between local norms and transnational religious discourse.'
Peter Mandaville, author of Global Political Islam and Associate Professor of Government & Islamic Studies, George Mason University
'Yemen and Salafism are both making headlines in the news, but both lack academic studies, due to the difficulties associated with field research. The challenge of Bonnefoy's book is to have studied Salafism in Yemen, remarkably succeeding in analysing it in a concrete context, and shedding new light both on the religious movement and on the Yemeni political and religious scene.'
Olivier Roy, Professor at the European University Institute (Florence) and author of Holy Ignorance: When Religion and Culture Part Ways
'Salafism in Yemen draws on impressive Arabic language skills and extensive fieldwork. In a subject area where difficulty of access and sheer divergence of worldviews can sometimes leave researchers seeming rather detached from their subject matter, it is encouraging to find Bonnefoy telling us early on that his understanding of Salafism in Yemen was informed not only by perusing magazines, pamphlets, recorded sermons and so on, but also by qat chews, outings and table tennis matches with Salafi aquaintances, as well as with the Salafs' opponents. This ethnographic component allows him to shift between macro- and microlevel analysis in ways that enrich his arguments enormously.'
Asian Studies Journal
'Laurent Bonnefoy has produced a rich and deeply nuanced examination of contemporary Yemeni Salafism and its relationship and interactions with Saudi Arabia. The product of years of fieldwork, Salafism in Yemen is a groundbreaking study that is certain to become essential reading for anyone seeking to understand modern Yemen.'
Christopher Boucek, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
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