For Putin and for Sharia

Iwona Kaliszewska is Assistant Professor at the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, University of Warsaw. She is the author of numerous publications and is Codirector of The Strongwoman, a documentary about a Dagestani female wrestler.

Prologue: Pizza with Shakhidkas Introduction: Sipping Coffee to the Sound of Gunfire 1. Political and Social Instability in Dagestan 2. Torture, Exorcisms, and Checkpoints: Experiencing the "Fight against Terrorism" 3. The Resurgent Importance of Islam in the Everyday Life of Dagestanis 4. Wahhabis, Tariqatists, and "New Muslims" 5. Sharia: Thinking beyond the (Secular) State? Conclusion

For Putin and for Sharia is a fine ethnographic description of a part of the Caucasus that has received little attention from Western scholars. Throughout the book Kaliszewska takes the perspective of her interlocutors toward the state and its actions against citizens. This is not only brave, as she is confronted with violence and the state security apparatus for doing so, her approach also uncovers the controversial world of Salafi-oriented Muslims. (The Russian Review) Iwona Kaliszewska's book is a fine piece of scholarship and an engaging read. (Europe-Asia Studies) Kaliszewska's book is a fine piece of scholarship and an engaging read due to the author's vivid style. (Europe-Asia Studies)