The Anatomy of Revolt

In July 2024, a student-led protest against Bangladesh's discriminatory quota system in public sector employment developed into a nationwide movement that brought down an authoritarian government on August 5, 2024. In The Anatomy of Revolt, Islam presents the first comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the July Revolution, contextualizing it within a longer trajectory of political decay marked by sustained repression, shrinking civic space, systematic electoral manipulation, endemic corruption, and widening socioeconomic inequalities. The regime's heavy-handed response--characterized by mass arrests, surveillance, censorship, and lethal force--further radicalized public sentiment, turning reformist demands into a widespread call for regime change. Drawing on a rich body of qualitative and mixed-method data, including firsthand accounts, media reports, and on-the-ground observations, the book traces how decentralized leadership, moral narratives of injustice, and strategic non-cooperation enabled the movement to sustain momentum despite severe repression. In doing so, it offers an engaging account of how people's power can reshape a nation, yielding timely insights into resistance, democracy, and the power of grassroots mobilization in the Global South.