Political Journeys
The OpenDemocracy Essays
About the Book
Fred Halliday always combined the broad sweep of modern history, its currents and ideas, with a profound knowledge of modern revolutions, the Middle East and national movements. This collection of columns written for openDemocracy between 2004 and 2009 is proof of a subtle worldview that continues to generate questions: what is the relation between religion, nationalism and progress?
Is a new international order possible? When is intervention a force for progress? From the big headline topics like the Iraq war or the Danish cartoons, to the unexpected comparisons, of Tibet and Palestine or Afghanistan and the Falklands, Halliday is a perennially surprising and enlightening guide to the major issues of international politics.
About the Contributors
Fred Halliday (1946–2010) was Professor Emeritus of International Relations at the London School of Economics and a research professor at the Barcelona Institute for International Studies. He published over twenty books, including Two Hours that Shook the World and 100 Myths about the Middle East (both by Saqi Books).
Reviews
‘There are fresh insights and shafts of enlightenment on every page of this invigorating collection of essays. Whatever the subjects – from Auschwitz to Armenia, Beirut to Barcelona – Halliday’s knowledge, imagination and intellectual independence illuminate them all.’ Francis Wheen, author of How Mumbo Jumbo Conquered the World
‘Fred Halliday’s Political Journeys range over wide intellectual and political landscapes, with brilliant insights, absorbing narratives, lucid writing and subtle humour.' Sami Zubaida, author of Beyond Islam: A New Understanding of the Middle East
‘[Fred] shaped the fields in which he worked through powerful insight, clarity of writing and a passionate commitment to his subjects ... He revelled in simplifying complexity, debunking myths and challenging conventional wisdoms.’ The Times
'This collection of essays shows Fred Halliday's depth, drive and wisdom ... His writing goes far beyond the standard efforts of academia and the foreign press packs. ' Nick Cohen, The Observer
