Ahmida challenges Eurocentric theories of social change that ignore the internal dynamics of native social history. Among other things, he shows that Sufi Islam, tribal military organization, and oral traditions were crucial in the fight against colonialism. The political and cultural legacy of the resistance has been powerful, strengthening Libyan nationalism and leading to the revival of strong attachments to Islam and the clan. The memory of this period has not yet faded, and appreciation of this background is essential to understanding present-day Libya. The scholarship is very good.
Few scholars are able to use Arabic, French, English, and Italian at such a level.
There is no other work which has this range and ambition, and this will make a useful addition to our knowledge of modern Libyan history.