'With her work, Aldoughli provides an analysis that is not only of great importance for the development of Syrian authoritarianism, but also has relevance beyond that ... It provides an analytical basis for the correlation between patriarchal ideology and authoritarian institutionalization, which is of international importance in the global context of authoritarian populism. The book is particularly convincing due to the careful contextualization of the phenomena dealt with in the overall historical framework of Syria as well as through its clearly understandable language. It is therefore also suitable for people outside the academic field. For all those who are already dealing intensively with Syria, it is a must-read anyway. It not only offers a treasure trove of quotes from Old Baathists, which have so far been available mainly in Arabic, but also provides another important piece of the puzzle to explain the authoritarian longevity of Assad's Syria.'
Dr. Sascha Ruppert-Karakas, Portals für Politikwissenschaft (Portal for Political Science)

Introduction: The “Woman Question” and the Syrian State
1 Romantic Borrowings in Early Syrian Nationalism: The Writings of Sati al-Husri, Michael Aflaq, and Zaki al-Arsuzi
2 The Centrality of Gender Constructs in Early Syrian Nationalist Narratives
3 Implementing Masculinism under Baathist Hegemony
4 Constructing the Muscular Nation in Song and Performance
5 War and Muscular Revival after 2011
Conclusion: Citizen Activism and Prospects for Reform in Post-war Syria