On tribalism
A review and discussion of Philip Salzman's book Culture and Conflict in the Middle East
This seems to fit pretty well with some of my own anthropological theories, but I still need to read the book itself.
Whether hidden in the mountain sanctuaries of Waziristan or in the fastness of the Iraqi desert, the heart of the jihadi rebellion is tribal. The classic tribal themes of honor and solidarity inspire and draw recruits to the cause--from among lowland peasants and educated urbanites as well. Yet tribalism has been vastly overshadowed by Islam in our attempts to understand the jihadist challenge.