| The Shi'ites of Lebanon The complex history of Lebanese Shi'ites has traditionally been portrayed as rooted in religious and sectarian forces. The Abisaabs uncover a more nuanced account in which colonialism, the modern state, social class, and provincial politics profoundly shaped Shi'i society. Rula Jurdi Abisaab is associate professor at the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University. She is the author of Converting Persia: Religion and Power in Safavid Iran . |