George Antonius
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George Habib Antonius, CBE (hon.) (1891-1941) (جورج أنطونيوس) was one of the first historians of Arab nationalism. Born of Lebanese-Egyptian parentage and a Christian (Greek Orthodox) Arab, he served in the British Mandate of Palestine. His 1938 book The Arab Awakening was written as Palestine was slipping from Arab control. His book "generated an ongoing debate over such issues as the origins of Arab nationalism, the significance of the Arab Revolt of 1916, and the machinations behind the post - World War I political settlement in the Middle East."[1]
Antonius traced Arab nationalism to the reign of Mehmet Ali Pasha in Egypt. He argued that Arab nationalism was a product of the West, especially of Protestant missionaries from Britain and the United States. He saw the role of the American University of Beirut (originally the Syrian Protestant College) as central to this development.
George Antonius is viewed as the founder of Arab nationalist history[citation needed]. Some modern historians disagree with Antonius' work, rejecting certain conclusions he has made.[2] Other historians, such as Susan Boyle, have documented his biography and discuss the historical accuracy of The Arab Awakening [3]
[edit] External links
- Ambition, Arabism, and George Antonius by Martin Kramer
- Documents of Western Betrayal and Arab Opposition from The Arab Awakening
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