"Ricardo Rene Laremont has produced a superb book that clearly documents the centrality of Islam in Africa's ideological development. The book will be on a must-read list for any student of African and Islam politics."
-George Bond, Director
Institute of African Studies, Columbia University

"Laremont approaches his subject with a sophistication that proves his familiarity with the current issues in his field and beyond. His approach to Islam moves beyond the pitfalls of 'orthodoxy,' and other stereotypical misrepresentations of Islam, viewing its traditions as diverse, dynamic, and changing. He demystifies Islam as a religion and provides a thorough analysis of its manifestations."
-Salah Hassan, Cornell University
Editor of Gendered Visions: The Art of Contemporary Africana Women Artists (AWP 1997)

"Islam and Politics of Resistance in Algeria is a stimulating examination of the crucial land decisive role that Islam has played in Algeria's past and its current political struggles. This study is a penetrating analysis of Islam's impact on Algerian political culture. It should be read by anyone seriously interested in politics and Islam in the contemporary world.">br> -Ali A. Mazrui, Albert Schweitzer Professor
in the Humanities, SUNY-Binghamton University

This multi-disciplinary work helps explain why Algeria, at the turn of the millennium remains the focus of profound struggle concerning the role of religion in politics. For more than two hundred years, Islam has motivated a great variety of political movements within Algeria. Different kinds of political leaders-with widely disparate agendas-have invoked Islam in one form or another with Algeria to obtain mass support for their policies. This study, which begins in 1783 and ends in 1992, recounts how these political actors all utilized and shaped Islam in the contested terrains of politics, culture and religion.

This book clearly documents the centrality of Islam to Algeria's politics. Despite the centrality of Islam, however, politicized Islam within Algeria has always remained ideologically diverse.

This book chronicles this diversity while exploring the reasons for Islam's continued appeal in the politics. While primarily a study of political culture, it examines related issues, including the relationship between religion and government, the creation of political legitimacy, and political economy.