Middle Eastern history Books

Book SynopsisAt the heart of Mari Luomi's salutary book is whether oil- and gas-dependent authoritarian monarchies can keep their natural resource use and the environment in balance. She argues that the Gulf monarchies have already reached their limits of 'natural sustainability', given that several of them are dependent on natural gas imports. Water resources are dwindling, and food import dependence is high and rising. Qatar's per capita emission of CO2 is ten times the global average. As a result of their booming economies, the Gulf monarchies' surging electricity and water demand have exerted unexpected pressures on domestic energy supply. Simultaneously, the consolidation of climate change on the international agenda has created a new uncertainty for local rulers whose survival depends on sales of oil and gas. Meanwhile domestic resource consumption, together with climate change, are putting unprecedented stress on the region's fragile desert environment. The Gulf is under stress, but so too are its states' power, wealth and ecosystems. Luomi reveals how Abu Dhabi and Qatar have responded to these new natural re- source-related pressures, particularly climate change, and how their responses are inextricably linked with elite legitimacy strategies and the 'natural unsustainability' of their political economies.Trade ReviewDr Luomi does an exemplary job of teasing out the lineage of different policies amid the complex, overlapping, and opaque world of Gulf Ministries, national energy companies, associated institutions, consultancies, and advisors. * Global Policy *This innovative book will transform our thinking about the future of the Persian Gulf monarchies. Skilfully weaving case-studies of Qatar and Abu Dhabi into an examination of the political economy of natural unsustainability, Luomi focuses on the big issues that will dominate Gulf politics in the twenty-first century -- emerging energy insecurities, vulnerability to climate change and international mitigation strategies, and the challenging transition to post-fossil economies. -- Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, author of 'Insecure Gulf: The End of Certainty and the Transition to the Post-Oil Era'At a time when the Persian Gulf region is undergoing economic development and infrastructural transformation at breakneck speed, questions of sustainability and the long-term environmental consequences of change in the GCC are seldom asked. Mari Luomi's richly researched book is essential in contextualizing the economic changes underway in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. More importantly, her sobering conclusions concerning the natural unsustainability of development efforts across the GCC, shed light on one of the most important facets of the political economy of the Persian Gulf. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the study of the region or in global environmental politics. -- Professor Mehran Kamrava, Georgetown University QatarThe Gulf Monarchies are making progress in the challenge to transform their economies and achieve economic sustainability, but only recently has awareness of the ecological challenge linked to the harsh climate of the region begun to be recognised. Mari Luomi's book details the early steps that have been taken to tackle this further challenge, focusing in particular on Abu Dhabi and Qatar, and the many difficult decisions that lie ahead. Can environmental sustainability be reached? At what cost? -- Giacomo Luciani, Adjunct Professor of International Affairs, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, GenevaDr. Mari Luomi has accumulated a vast amount of material gleaned from the Gulf states' official publications -- her narrative -- is supported by a truly impressive array of statistics. -- David Heard * Asian Affairs *An integrated assessment of energy and climate policies of the Gulf countries has thus been missing, and Luomi has managed to fill this gap with an authoritative volume on the domestic and international climate policies of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries . . . For anyone interested in energy and climate policy of the Middle East, Luomi's book will be crucial reading. * Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Management *

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Book SynopsisThe October War of 1973 (also known as the 'Yom Kippur War') was a watershed mo- ment in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the modern Middle East more broadly. It marked the beginning of a US-led peace process between Israel and her Arab neighbours; it introduced oil diplomacy as a new means of leverage in international politics; and it affected irreversibly the development of the European Community and the Palestinian struggle for independence. Moreover, the regional order which emerged at the end of the war remained largely unchallenged for nearly four decades, until the recent wave of democratic revolutions in the Arab world. The fortieth anniversary of the October War provides a timely opportunity to reassess the major themes that emerged during the war and in its aftermath, and the contributors to this book provide the first comprehensive ac- count of the domestic and international factors which informed the policies of Israel, Egypt, Syria and Jordan, as well as external actors before, during and after the war. In addition to chapters on the superpowers, the EU and the Palestinians, the book also deals with the strategic themes of intelligence and political of the war on Israeli and Arab societies.Trade Review'An important and authoritative reconstruction by one of the most talented stables of historians and experts ever assembled. "The Yom Kippur War" is highly relevant today, as the world faces a new era of upheaval with the potential for war in the Middle East. This comprehensive volume will help a new generation of readers - scholarly and otherwise - puzzle through the lessons learned from the region's most violent clash between Arabs and Israelis.' * Patrick Tyler, author of A World of Trouble: The White House and the Middle East from the Cold War to the War on Terror and Fortress Israel: The Inside Story of the Military Elite Who Run the Country and Why They Can't Make Peace *'Finally, forty years after the October 1973 War, a comprehensive, 360-degree analysis of a seminal moment in the long-running dispute between Israel and her Arab neighbours. By looking at the war from every perspective, not only from Tel Aviv, Cairo, Damascus and Amman, but from Washington, Moscow, and Europe, the whole picture comes into focus. In the process, it shows those of us who covered the war, how little we knew and understood at the time.' * Terence Smith, Israel correspondent for The New York Times during the Yom Kippur War *

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Book SynopsisThe Arab Spring occurred within the context of the unraveling of the dominant 'ruling bargain' that emerged across the Middle East in the 1950s. This is being replaced by a new and in- choate system that redefines sources of author- ity and legitimacy through various devices (such as constitutions), experiences, and processes (mass protests, civil wars, and elections), by reassessing the roles, functions, and at times the structures of institutions (political parties and organisations, the armed forces, the executive); and by the initiative of key personalities and actors (agency). Across the Arab world and the Middle East, 'authority' and 'political legitimacy' are in flux. Where power will ultimately reside depends largely on the shape, voracity, and staying power of these new, emerging conceptions of authority. The contributors to this book examine the nature and evolution of ruling bargains, the politi- cal systems to which they gave rise, the steady unraveling of the old systems and the structural consequences thereof, and the uprisings that have engulfed much of the Middle East since December 2010.Trade ReviewThe authors of this wide-ranging collection - deeply steeped in history and skilled in political analysis - walk us through the past 'bargains' imposed by rulers of the Middle East on their own peoples. In doing so, they expertly convey how those bargains are now being renegotiated in a process that is sometimes exhilarating but also contentious (even violent), confusing, and prone to breakdown, distrust, and even bad faith. -- Nathan Brown, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs'Beyond the Arab Spring' adds new dimensions and considerable depth to our understanding of the extraordinary events in the region since the first days of 2011. From the exploration of an array of institutions and social forces underpinning the uprisings to the examination of particularities of country cases, this volume covers a lot of ground while providing readers with much to think about. An important contribution to the literature. -- Miriam R. Lowi, Department of Political Science, The College of New Jersey and author of 'Oil Wealth and the Poverty of Politics: Algeria Compared'

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Book SynopsisAs a civil war shatters a country and consumes its people, historian Christian Sahner offers a poignant account of Syria, where the past profoundly shapes its dreadful present. Among the Ruins blends history, memoir and reportage, drawing on the author's extensive knowledge of Syria in ancient, medieval, and modern times, as well as his experiences living in the Levant on the eve of the war and in the midst of the 'Arab Spring'. These plotlines converge in a rich narrative of a country in constant flux -- a place renewed by the very shifts that, in the near term, are proving so destructive. Sahner focuses on five themes of interest to anyone intrigued and dismayed by Syria's fragmentation since 2011: the role of Christianity in society; the arrival of Islam; the rise of sectarianism and competing minorities; the emergence of the Ba'ath Party; and the current pitiless civil war. Among the Ruins is a brisk and illuminating read, an accessible introduction to a country with an enormously rich past and a tragic present. For anyone seeking to understand Syria, this book should be their starting point.Trade ReviewIn his beautiful patchwork of recent experience and academic history, [Sahner] gives a truly original portrait of contemporary Syria without shirking the social problems, physical ugliness or political realities many Westerners often want to deny ... Sahner gives a long historical arc, going back to pre-Islamic, Byzantine Syria, before going on to produce a moving and highly readable account of the country today. His close attention to the buildings and geography of Syria, together with accounts of his many friendships, bring the country into sharper focus than textual sources alone can do. -- The Times Literary Supplement[E]rudite historical analysis ... [Sahner's] perspective is rewarding indeed, both in questioning and shaking many of the narratives supplied to us by sensationalist media reports, and in providing a deeper understanding of the origins of the current conflict ... While Sahner's historical knowledge is evident, so too is his compassion for the people he meets ... [A] considerate treatment of a topic that has been widely misconstrued elsewhere. -- Insight TurkeyAmong the Ruins is a uniquely vivid evocation of the past of Syria and a prescient record of its present state. Deeply humane and drawing on subjects from all walks of life, Sahner has a gift for presenting them against a past that is as varied and as ancient as the country itself. We are brought to the edge of the precipice over which, alas, a magnificently diverse society appears to have stumbled. We will be both better informed and wiser for reading it. -- Peter Brown, Rollins Professor Emeritus of History at Princeton UniversityThis book greets the reader through the lens of a medieval Islamic historian well-versed in the historical treasures and antiquities of Syria. His appreciation of Syria's long and important history in the region provides a useful backdrop for understanding today's tragic conflict, much of which is unfortunately erasing that physical history. Sahner aims to make sure this history is not forgotten in an accessible work that makes important connections between Syria's past, present and future in a way that will satisfy the non-specialist and specialist alike. -- David W. Lesch, Ewing Halsell Distinguished Professor of Middle East History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and author of Syria: The Fall of the House of AssadAmong the Ruins is a veritable pleasure to read, despite the poignancy of its subject matter. Combining an account of its author's travels through a Syria now largely destroyed by the ravages of war with a reflection on the causes and course of the Syrian revolution which began in March 2011, the Baathist regime's ruthless response, and the country's subsequent descent into civil war, it is both elegantly written and judicious in its opinions. Informed by Christian Sahner's deep knowledge of classical and medieval history, eastern Christianity and Islam, and enlivened by his travel writer's eye for the telling detail, it will make a useful primer for those seeking to place Syria's current predicament in historical perspective. -- Andrew Arsan, University Lecturer in Modern Middle Eastern History, St John's College, CambridgeCompact and to the point, [Among the Ruins] documents the long history of Syria's cultural and religious past in concise but approachable language ... Sahner's work illustrates not only why the current sociopolitical upheaval came about but also why it is important to all countries. -- Library JournalWith an academic expertise in late antiquity in the Middle East, Sahner gives even the seventh and eighth centuries important proximity. In light of the re-emergence of nihilistic and extremist language from the likes of the Islamic State, which promotes a distorted version of Islam's past, Sahner's history is all the more important. -- The Cairo ReviewSahner's writing engages all the reader's senses without wasting a word. His precision keeps the story moving at breakneck speed, leaving the reader with essential insights while eliding potentially distracting factual minutiae. The combination is sheer brilliance. The book is especially impressive given the magnitude of Sahner's intellectual task and the grace with which he accomplishes it. -- Brock Dahl, The Witherspoon InstituteThis excellent little book, a mixture of "deep" history and travelogue, is essential reading for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of the current situation in Syria and the Middle East, beyond newspaper headlines. -- LSE Review of BooksAmong the Ruins is a readable and interesting account of Syria's history for non-specialists. ... [T]he importance of this book and the historical and cultural diversities which it recognises and explains are placed in an even more acute, modern perspective when one considers the recent wanton destruction of historical and cultural sites by Islamic State forces. -- Asian AffairsProvides a snapshot of Syria on the eve of war, through the eyes of a young American traveling through the Middle East. -- Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisQatar and the Arab Spring offers a frank examination of Qatar's startling rise to regional and international prominence, describing how its distinctive policy stance toward the Arab Spring emerged. In only a decade, Qatari policy-makers - led by the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and his prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani - catapulted Qatar from a sleepy backwater to a regional power with truly international reach. In addition to pursuing an aggressive state-branding strategy with its successful bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar forged a reputation for diplomatic mediation that combined intensely personalised engagement with financial backing and favourable media coverage through the Al-Jazeera. These factors converged in early 2011 with the outbreak of the Arab Spring revolts in North Africa, Syria, and Yemen, which Qatari leaders saw as an opportunity to seal their regional and international influence, rather than as a challenge to their authority, and this guided their support of the rebellions against the Gaddafi and Assad regimes in Libya and Syria. From the high watermark of Qatari influence after the toppling of Gaddafi in 2011, that rapidly gave way to policy overreach in Syria in 2012, Coates Ulrichsen analyses Qatari ambition and capabilities as the tiny emirate sought to shape the transitions in the Arab world.Trade Review'Cliched as it may sound, there has never been a better time to publish a book on Qatar. With the heady do-no-wrong boom years firmly behind it, Qatar now seems caught in a web of international intrigue, proxy wars, and counter-espionage. Ulrichsen's latest is an excellent primer as we wait and watch events unfold.' * Christopher Davidson, reader in Middle East politics at the School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University and author of After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies *

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Book SynopsisThe Mehdi Army militia was a towering force in Iraq during the early years of the post-Saddam era. As an aggressive opponent of foreign occupation and one of the principal antagonists in Iraq's brutal sectarian civil war, the militia was central to the violence that ravaged the country and a pivotal political actor. Growing rapidly in size and strength, and controlling entire districts of Baghdad and broad swathes of southern and central Iraq, the Mehdi Army seemed poised to become a Hezbollah-like 'state within a state' that would remain enormously powerful for years to come. Drawing from extensive field experience in one of Baghdad's most volatile militia-held districts, Krohley exposes how, and why, the militia suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed in the midst of the Americans' 'Surge' of forces during 2008. Building from an examination of the Mehdi Army's social and ideological roots, he presents a neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood study of the militia's changing fortunes that offers unparalleled local detail and specificity. Krohley shows how the Mehdi Army's demise was ultimately a self-inflicted 'death' as opposed to a triumph of its foes.In so doing, he not only challenges prevailing orthodoxies of counterinsurgency doctrine and the mythology of the Surge, but also offers penetrating insights into the battered state of Iraqi society after decades of dictatorship, privation and war.Trade Review'Few subjects in the study of Iraq are as important or as opaque as the military mobilisation of the Shia community, and notably those loyal to the Sadr family. When coalition forces arrived in Iraq in 2003 they and the government they put in place had to contend with the firebrand son of the late Ayatollah Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr and his Jaish al-Mahdi (the Mehdi Army), which numbered as many as 50,000 fighters. Nicholas Krohley has provided a fine first-hand analysis of the history and development of the Sadr Movement and the Mehdi Army which spells out what the latter's return to the field of battle against ISIS may mean for the future of Iraq.' -- Gareth Stansfield, Professor of Middle East Politics, University of Exeter'Krohley's account of the Mehdi Army's campaign in East Baghdad contextualises the Shia insurgency, offering rare insight into the politics and strategy of the Sadrist movement. His book is a stunning example of extraordinary war-time social science research that will have an enduring legacy in the literature of insurgency and counterinsurgency.' -- Montgomery McFate, Minerva Chair, Center for Naval Warfare Studies, US Naval War College and author of Social Science Goes to War: The Human Terrain System in Iraq and Afghanistan'Nick Krohley has produced the first book-length manuscript in English that details the Iraq war through the eyes of Iraqi participants. His examination of the role of the Sadrist movement and its Mehdi Army militia in Eastern Baghdad is absolutely critical to moving beyond the US-centric military histories that have dominated the narrative to date.' -- Douglas A. Ollivant, Managing Partner, Mantid International LLC and ASU Senior Fellow, Future of War Project, New America'A most valuable and original insight into issues and dynamics that have eluded the grasp of Iraq specialists for far too long ... an urgently needed scholarly contribution to our understanding of modern Iraqi history.' -- Fanar Haddad, Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore, and author of Sectarianism in Iraq: Antagonistic Visions of Unity'Nicholas Krohley weaves a masterwork of recent Baghdadi and Iraqi political history, setting his study apart from previous analyses of the surge, which tend to be long on journalism but short on understanding the nuances of Iraqi society. The author's inner anthropologist shines through as he examines the heavily Shiite administrative district known as "New Baghdad" on a sub-district by sub-district level. Indeed, leafing through the nearly 100 pages of notes, scholars may sense the spirit of the late historian Hanna Batatu's classic studies of Iraqi society, albeit with a narrower focus. Krohley challenges the idealization of the U.S.-led surge "as a triumph of full-spectrum counter-insurgency." Indeed, he argues convincingly that the demise of the Mahdi Army was self-inflicted--more of a tactical decision by the Mahdi Army itself to fade into the woodwork and perhaps survive to fight another day--rather than the U.S. victory so many hagiographers of Gen. David Petraeus claim. Krohley's work may be challenged by future writers, but they will need to marshal significant resources to counter his deep and well-researched study.' -- Michael Rubin, Middle East Quarterly

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Book SynopsisIn January 2011 President Bashar al-Assad told the Wall Street Journal that Syria was 'stable' and immune from revolt. In the months that followed, and as regimes fell in Egypt and Tunisia, thousands of Syrians took to the streets calling for freedom, with many dying at the hands of the regime. Stephen Starr delves deep into the lives of Syrians whose destiny has been shaped by the state for almost fifty years. In conversations with people from all strata of Syrian society, Starr draws together and makes sense of perspectives illustrating why Syria, with its numerous sects and religions, was so prone to violence and civil strife. Through his unique access to a country largely cut off from the international media during the unrest, Starr delivers compelling first hand testimony from both those who suffered and benefited most at the hands of the regime. Revolt in Syria details why many Syrians wanted Assad's government to stay as the threat of civil war loomed large, the long-standing gap between the state apparatus and its people and why the country's youth stood up decisively for freedom.Starr also sets out the positions adhered to by the country's minorities and explains why many Syrians believe that enforced regime change might precipitate a region-wide conflict. This revised and updated edition contains a chapter bringing it up to the end of 2013, and examines the experiences of those who have fled the fighting to Turkey and elsewhere.Trade Review'[Starr's] material is vivid, thought-provoking and sometimes shocking ... As eyewitness testimony, it has great value, not least because it challenges some of the simple certainties that have characterised coverage of the Syrian uprising. Mr Starr captures the pain of a deeply torn society in the throes of a bitter struggle, one that has estranged brother from brother, friend from friend.' * The Economist *'Starr's book is the only account that gives previously unheard voices a chance to be heard. ... his familiarity with the sectarian and political milieu in Syria is better than anyone I know. He has spent five years in the country, marrying into Syrian society if there is one Irishman that the Syrians would describe as muta rrib, Arabicised , it is him. ... Through a series of vignettes and anecdotes, Starr provides us with a plethora of voices from minorities: Sunnis, Shias, Kurds, Palestinians, pro-regime and anti regime Syrians. ... The book is a witness to a dilapidated regime [and] Starr captures it all brilliantly.' * New Statesman *'Unlike most western reporters who have written from Syria, Stephen Starr brings to bear a great deal of personal experience of the country, having lived and worked in Damascus for four years, including a spell with the state media. He's the sort of man who notices the price of milk going up and the increased presence of security forces on the streets as the noose tightens. With a wide network of friends and contacts, he conveys the warp and weft of daily life with an admirably nuanced understanding of the place.' * The Spectator *'Stephen Starr has taken on the mammoth task of elucidating this confusing country. After four years in Syria, he has some insight... The general conclusion is that no one in Syria knows what is going on, either inside or outside their own neighbourhoods. It is therefore a strange kind of enlightenment that this book offers, but probably an accurate on.' * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisCritical Muslim's Syria issue approaches the diversity of this rich culture as it is reborn through revolution, tortured by repression, and traumatised by war. Thomas Pierret illuminates the varying positions of Syria's Muslims and Islamists; Rasha Omran writes about being an Alawi revolutionary; Robin Yassin-Kassab investigates the revolution's artistic and cultural shifts; Firas Massouh appraises the role of workers and the left inside Syria; Louis Proyect castigates leftists in the West; Nader Attasi examines the successes of the revolutionary committees and the failures of opposition political elites; Hassan Hassan recounts the rise, fall and rise again of the Muslim Brotherhood's Syria branch; Razan Ghazzawi questions her atheism under fire; Omar Hossino presents the town of Selemmiyeh as a non-sectarian model; Ross Burns asks what's become of Syria's unparalleled archeological heritage. Plus poetry from Golan Hajji, prose from Zakkariya Tamer and Lina Sergie Attar, an appreciation of Adonis's verse, satire from Karl Sharro, and 'the story of the bra'.Trade Review'Show[s] that the voices [of Syrians] are loud and alive and cannot be silenced. Some of the depictions and accounts of the horror in Syria are by Syrians, others by people knowledgeable and involved, but - the power of human resistance to oppression stands out.' - Times Literary Supplement

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Book SynopsisIn early 2011 an elderly Alawite shaykh lamented the long history of 'oppression and aggression' against his people. Against such collective memories the Syrian uprising was viewed by many Alawites, and observers, as a revanchist Sunni Muslim movement and the gravest threat yet to the unorthodox Shi'a sub-sect. This explained why the Alawites largely remained loyal to the Ba'athist regime of Bashar al-Asad. But was Alawite history really a constant tale of oppression and was the Syrian uprising of 2011 really an existential threat to the Alawites? This book surveys Alawite history from the sect's inception in Abbasid Iraq up to the start of the uprising in 2011. The book shows how Alawite identity and political behaviour have been shaped by a cycle of insecurity that has prevented the group from achieving either genuine social integration or long term security. Rather than being the gravest threat yet to the sect, the Syrian uprising, in the context of the Arab Spring, was quite possibly a historic opportunity for the Alawites to finally break free from their cycle of fear.Trade Review'Goldsmith does not see [the Alawites'] loyalty as given. He sets out to explain it by examining their history. ... Goldsmith shows that years of persecution since the sect's founding have taught its adherents to stick together, and, as things have grown worse, to the regime. ... a welcome addition to scholarship on Syria.'; 'Cycle of Fear is based on an impressive amount of field research as well as interviews with hard-to-reach leading Alawite figures inside Syria and elsewhere. Goldsmith does a good job of unmasking much of the mystery surrounding this sect and places within its historical context the twentieth century rise of the Alawites and the decision by most Alawites in the current conflict to stick with the Assad regime. I highly recommend it.' * David W. Lesch, Ewing Halsell Distinguished Professor of Middle East History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and author of Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad *'Cycle of Fear is based on an impressive amount of field research as well as interviews with hard-to-reach leading Alawite figures inside Syria and elsewhere. Goldsmith does a good job of unmasking much of the mystery surrounding this sect and places within its historical context the twentieth century rise of the Alawites and the decision by most Alawites in the current conflict to stick with the Assad regime. I highly recommend it.' * David W. Lesch, Ewing Halsell Distinguished Professor of Middle East History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and author of Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad *'Leon Goldsmith makes a timely argument about the Alawite community that has provided the main pillar of support for Assad's rule in Syria. He explains how the minority complex of this small but powerful sect has been shaped by centuries of persecution. Their internal solidarity and fear of the Sunni majority, Goldsmith argues, has convinced them that their present struggle is a matter of life and death. This brief and engaging interpretive essay helps us to understand the cycle of fear that grips all religious communities in Syria today and makes the civil war so intractable.' * Joshua Landis, Director, Center for Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma, and author of SyriaComment.com *'This valuable study usefully combines Ibn Khaldun's theory of cycles of rule, dependent on the changing assabiyeh of the ruling group, with the impact of the security dilemma to explain the causes and consequences of the Alawite community's association with the Assad regime. It benefits from the author's exceptional access to the Alawite heartland to provide a convincing and sympathetic portrait of this community.' * Raymond Hinnebusch, Professor of International Relations and Director of the Centre for Syrian Studies, University of St. Andrews *

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Book SynopsisThe 2011 Arab uprisings precipitated the relatively quick collapse of a number of Middle Eastern states once perceived as invincible. The Tunisian and Egyptian states succumbed to revolution-ary upheavals early on, followed by that of Qadhafi's Libya. Yemen's President Saleh was also eventually forced to give up power. A bloody civil war continues to rage in Syria. These uprisings highlighted weaknesses in the capacity and legitimacy of states across the Arab Middle East. This book provides a comprehensive study of state weakness - or of 'weak states' - across the Greater Middle East. No other book examines the subject of weak states in the Middle East. Fragile Politics begins with laying the theoretical framework for the study of weak states, examining the theoretical controversies surrounding the topic, the causes and characteristics of weak states, and their consequences for the Middle East. It then looks at a series of case studies, examining various themes within the study of weak states in relation to each case study.Trade Review'Fragile Politics: Weak States in the Greater Middle East is a brilliantly-structured book that offers a fresh viewpoint within the overall debate about why the Middle East is in crisis. In all cases, it shows that troubled Middle East states do not follow Westphalian ideals, and explains how dictatorial regimes are responsible for the current chaos that their countries are in. The book takes a concept that is underestimated in academic literature, simplifies it and tests it against the facts. As well as being rich in factual information, this makes the book easy to understand and follow.' -- Middle East Monitor'Mehran Kamrava has assembled an exceptional group of authors to help us understand the causes, courses, and consequences of weak states in the Middle East. Fragile Politics is a must-read for all those trying to understand the roots of recent turmoil and to find remedies for the dangerous disconnect between empowered societies and dysfunctional institutions.' -- Paul Salem, Vice President for Policy and Research, The Middle East Institute, Washington DC'This is a very engaging and well crafted volume that, in an exemplary fashion, looks at several different aspects of the fragile state syndrome in the Middle East that have not been adequately investigated until now. Well-informed, well argued, and well-sourced, Fragile Politics will be hugely valuable particularly to an undergraduate audience, and professors teaching at that level.' -- Dirk Vandewalle, Professor of Government, Dartmouth College, author of A History of Modern Libya'Going beyond threadbare academic debates about concepts of state weakness, failure and collapse, this important collection of case studies offers significant evidence that each state's failings derive from a unique combination of factors and are manifested in different ways. Each state will thus overcome its weaknesses or fail further in unique ways; remedies for state weakness cannot be standardized.' -- Marina Ottaway, Middle East Fellow at The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and co-author of Getting to Pluralism: Political Actors in the Arab World'There has sadly never been as opportune a time as now for a scholarly study on weak states in the Middle East. For a subject greatly deserving of our attention, this volume is an exemplary reader.' -- Christopher Davidson, author of After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies

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Book SynopsisThe post-Khomeini era has profoundly changed the socio-political landscape of Iran. Since 1989, the internal dynamics of change in Iran, rooted in a panoply of socioeconomic, cultural, institutional, demographic, and behavioural factors, have led to a noticeable transition in both societal and governmental structures of power, as well as the way in which many Iranians have come to deal with the changing conditions of their society. This is all exacerbated by the global trend of communication and information expansion, as Iran has increasingly become the site of the burgeoning demands for women's rights, individual freedoms, and festering tensions and conflicts over cultural politics. These realities, among other things, have rendered Iran a country of unprecedented -- and at time paradoxical -- changes.Trade Review'This scholarly research work is pertinent for the understanding of the socio-economic and political transformation in post-revolutionary Iran and development of unexpected liberal and secular trends among its population.''As the Islamic Revolution of Iran approaches its fortieth anniversary, a popular conception of this country persists: that of a static society under the control of hardline anti-Western clerics. This volume provides an alternative reading of Iran by focusing on the dynamics of social change. Focusing on a panoply of socioeconomic, cultural, institutional, demographic and international factors, this group of distinguished Iranian studies scholars, demonstrate the evolution and transformation of changing identities, norms and values that often challenge the authoritarian model of Iran’s revolutionary founders. The future of Iran is very much connected to these developments making this volume essential reading for any serious student of this topic.' -- Nader Hashemi, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies, University of Denver'Hundreds of books and articles have been published about post-revolutionary Iran in the West, many of which offer only a crude caricature of the Islamic Republic. This erudite volume provides an important corrective to the superficial portrayal of Iran’s society, culture and politics. The contributors have deep knowledge and understanding of a huge breadth of issues concerning the country, informed by years of scholarly research. A must-read.' -- Nader Entessar, co-author of 'Iran Nuclear Negotiations: Accord and Détente since the Geneva Agreement of 2013''Inside the Islamic Republic is an excellent collection of articles about the profound changes that have taken place inside Iran during the past three decades. Written by some of the leading experts on modern Iran, the book addresses such important issues as the struggle for democracy, women's rights, and the role cinema, music, and poetry plays in Iranian society. Anyone interested in understanding Iran as it is, and not as it is portrayed in the mass media, must read this seminal book.' -- Mohsen M. Milani, Executive Director, USF World Center for Strategic & Diplomatic Studies (CSDS), University of South Florida

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Book SynopsisSince 2002 Sunni jihadi groups like Jaysh al-'Adl have been active in Iranian Baluchistan, yet the region remains relatively stable. Dudoignon's book shows that the key reason for this is Tehran's cultivation of good relations with Sunni ulama in the Sarbaz area in Baluchistan, a policy that began after World War Two. Educated in the socially conservative south- Asian Deobandi school of Islam, the Sarbaz ulama have conspicuous transnational connections and yet have been valuable to Iran's governments. They were recruited by the Pahlavi Shahs as a bulwark against Soviet influence, and they rallied to Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 before playing a small part in the anti-Soviet Afghan jihad. This book shows how this confessional network, through their hegemony in eastern Iran and their alliance with the Kurdish-born Muslim Brothers, has prevented the rise of Sunni radicalism in Iran since 1997 through the promotion of a 'Sunni vote'. It highlights, too, the capacity of the Islamic Republic to transform a nascent 'Sunni community of Iran' into an asset, through Ayatollah Khamenei's policy of 'national union and confessional concord'.Trade ReviewThis brilliant book offers a bold and penetrating reinterpretation of the modern history of Iran and of Muslim politics more broadly. Dudoignon's revelatory and exhaustive study masterfully recasts our understanding of Sunni-Shia relations by illuminating the intricate ties linking Sunnis to the state, to global religious networks, and to regional geopolitics. -- Robert Crews, Associate Professor of History and former director of the Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies, Stanford UniversityThis landmark publication expands our understanding of the modern Middle East by focusing on the unique feature that historians neglect: tribes. Dudoignon uses his ethnographic research among the Baluch to show how, even in the largest and most urban countries, like Iran, tribes are integral to the larger political process. -- Brian Spooner, Professor of AnthropologyThis book is the product of stellar scholarship. Dudoignon traces the roots of ethnic and religious grievances in Baluchistan, Iran’s most unstable region, and skillfully places the Baluch question in the present power rivalries of the Middle East. -- Alex Vatanka, Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute and author of Iran and Pakistan: Security, Diplomacy and American InfluenceThis lively book, based on extensive field, archive and literary research, skilfully unravels the complex religious, politico-economic and tribal history of the Baluch. Dudoignon exposes their important links with other Sunnis of the region, exploring how these networks and movements have engaged with the Iranian state, its internal politics and international powers. -- Richard Tapper, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology

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Book SynopsisThis ambitious and wide-ranging popular history is the first narrative account of the entire Near East (Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States), from the genesis of civilisation in the fourth millennium BCE until modern times. It provides an historical outline of the civilisations and cultures that dominated the region, one that has had an immense impact on the development of humankind, ever since the ancient Sumerians invented urban living and writing around 3200 BCE. Later, the Babylonians and the Assyrians built upon the Sumerian legacy. They were the world's earliest great powers, whose actions in the cradle of monotheism influenced Judaism and, eventually, Christianity and Islam. The Near East discusses the long eras of Arab, Persian and Ottoman rule, and the destabilising intervention of Western colonial powers. Cotterell's book is a timely reminder of how historical events have shaped the outlooks of various peoples, just as political turbulence in the Near East is challenging both neighbouring countries and the wider world.Trade Review'What distinguishes Arthur Cotterell's 'The Near East: A Cultural History' is its sweep. [...] Cotterell has given us, in this beautifully illustrated and handsomely produced book, an impressive introduction to the history of the near east.' -- The National'As the Near East edges ever nearer, we in the Middle West need to know it better. Arthur Cotterell's cultural history is the ideal primer. Full of surprises and enriched by the author's insights into its mythology and ritual, The Near East offers a comprehensive history in which conquests and conversions are more than matched by continuities and commonalities.' -- John Keay, author of Sowing the Wind: the Seeds of Conflict in the Middle East as well as standard histories of India and China'A lively history of the Near East that presents a very accessible, readable, and accurate narrative, thanks to Cotterell's beautiful and engaging prose.' -- Ilan Pappé, author of The Modern Middle East and The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine

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Book SynopsisThe Future of Iran's Past is a critical study of the life and afterlife of Nizam al-Mulk (1018-92), celebrated Persian vizier and stalwart figure of power and authority in medieval Islamic society. He became the de facto ruler of a vast empire, with a final apotheosis as Islamic history's archetypal good vizier. Such was his standing among the glitterati of his era that he was considered an ideal replacement for the Abbasid caliph himself. As well as the outstanding figure in a long run of great viziers and administrators who dominated premodern Islamic politics, al-Mulk is remembered as the most prominent politician of the period to perceive new beginnings and radical departures. Neguin Yavari offers a close reading of al-Mulk's many legacies, revealing a complex imbrication of political and religious authority, as well as pre-Islamic and Islamic influences that have together shaped modern Iran. She shows that the new Iran of al-Mulk's singular vision, rather than a tale of uninterrupted Iranisation, is imbued with an extensive interplay of residual and emergent tendencies.Trade Review‘While it tells the story of an important political career, The Future of Iran’s Past is most notable for the seriousness and inventiveness of its intellectual approach to biography.’ ‘The balance between a clear presentation of the narrative and the in-depth use of original sources makes 'The Future of Iran’s Past' a useful contribution to the field and appealing to a wide audience. … [It] is highly recommended for those willing to explore the life and legacy of arguably one of the most influential political characters of the medieval Islamic World.' -- International Journal of Middle East Studies‘The Future of Iran’s Past … is a timely reminder of the rhetoric and uses of history and the ways in which heroes and villains are constructed in the light of one’s political and ideological commitments in the present. Well worth reading for precisely these reasons, as the question of legitimacy, conflictual identity, and the present remain salient in contemporary Persianate contexts and central to the debate of what constitutes the legal and political norm in the Muslim world today.’ -- The Muslim World Book Review‘Highly original and deeply stimulating … The Future of Iran’s Past constitutes an invaluable contribution to the study of Iran’s history, into the contemporary period.’ -- Bulletin Critique des Annales Islamologiques‘The importance and timeliness of [Yavari’s] monograph is undeniable … [and it is] written in an articulate, lucid prose.’ -- Reading Religion'With this outstanding study of Nizam al Mulk, one of the towering figures of Iranian-Islamic medieval history, Yavari surpasses the limits of traditional biographical writing. In this highly readable study, her critical reading of the sources and masterly approach to the literature challenge our understanding of Saljuq rule and culture.' -- Christoph Werner, Chair of Iranian Studies, Philipps-Universität Marburg'So much more than the life and times of medieval Iran's greatest vizier, The Future of Iran's Past serves up penetrating insights into the nature of pre-modern biography, the complex and often opaque workings of Islamic governance, and Iran's confrontation with its own history right down to the present day.' -- Richard W. Bulliet, Professor of History, Columbia University; author of Islam: The View from the Edge and The Case for Islamo-Christian Civilisation'The Future of Iran's Past is a highly original and extraordinarily sophisticated exploration of medieval Islamic political thought and its continuing legacy. Yavari has performed an inestimable service to the intellectual history of Islam. She subjects this genre of writing to a deep and sustained interpretation.' -- Faisal Devji, Fellow of St. Antony's College, University of Oxford and author of Landscapes of the Jihad: Militancy, Morality, Modernity'This unconventional 'biography' of Nizam al-Mulk is woven around five exuberant essays, with challenging, often brilliant insights, on themes that lie at the heart of the Saljuq polity and dominion over which Nizam al-Mulk presided. They elucidate a novel and sophisticated interpretation of the political nature of Nizam al-Mulk's vision and its legacy.' -- John Gurney, Emeritus Fellow, Wadham College, University of Oxford

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Book SynopsisThe contradictory trends of the 'post-Arab Spring' landscape form both the backdrop to, and the focus of, this volume on the changing security dynamics of the Persian Gulf, defined as the six GCC states plus Iraq and Iran. The political and economic upheaval triggered by the uprisings of 2011, and the rapid emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in 2014, have underscored the vulnerability of regional states to an intersection of domestic pressures and external shocks. The initial phase of the uprisings has given way to a series of messy and uncertain transitions that have left societies deeply fractured and ignited violence both within and across states. The bulk of the protests, with the notable exception of Bahrain, occurred outside the Gulf region, but Persian Gulf states were at the forefront of the political, economic, and security response across the Middle East.This volume provides a timely and comparative study of how security in the Persian Gulf has evolved and adapted to the growing uncertainty of the post-2011 regional landscape.Trade Review'Ulrichsen combines some rich academic chapters in this book where the pros and cons of the GCC countries’ internal and external security issues are discussed.' -- Insight Turkey'Ulrichsen is one of the most perceptive and prolific analysts of the Persian Gulf, and here he assembles an all-star list of contributors to examine the changes and intersections of domestic and international politics and regional security structures. Following a masterful introduction by the editor, chapters treat little-understood topics such as the policy of the GCC states toward ISIS, North Africa and India, and Iran-Saudi relations. Also explored are attempts by the Gulf states to reformulate the "ruling bargain" that until now has ensured domestic tranquility, the global energy landscape, the increasing economic role of Gulf royals, youth protests in Kuwait, and the Saudi succession. These essays could not be more timely.' -- Lawrence G. Potter, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University'This volume on the Persian Gulf offers an exceptionally rich set of analytical papers focusing on the internal and external security drivers of policy in key Gulf states, and enriches the analysis by also shedding light on the forces which are shaping relations between these states as well. An excellent addition to the growing body of knowledge on this strategically-important sub-region.' -- Anoush Ehteshami, Professor of International Relations at Durham University and author of 'Dynamics of Change in the Persian Gulf'

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Book SynopsisQuicksilver War is a panoramic political history of the wars that coursed through Syria and Iraq in the wake of the 'Arab Spring' and eventually merged to become a regional catastrophe: a kaleidoscopic and constantly shifting conflict involving many different parties and phases. William Harris distils the highly complex dynamics behind the conflict, starting with the brutalising Baathist regimes in Damascus and Baghdad. He charts the malignant consequences of incompetent US occupation of Iraq and Bashar al-Assad's self-righteous mismanagement of Syria, through the implosion of Syria, and the emergence of eastern and western theatres of war focused respectively on future control of Syria and the challenge of ISIS. Beyond the immediate arena of conflict, geopolitical riptides have also been set in motion, including Turkey's embroilment in the war and the shifting circumstances of the Kurds. This sweeping history addresses urgent questions for our time. Will the world rubber-stamp and bankroll the Russian-led 'solution' in Syria, backed by Turkey and Iran? Is the 'Quicksilver War' about to reach an explosive finale? Or will ongoing political manoeuvring mutate into years of further violence?Trade Review'Well crafted and framed.' 'The strength of Quicksilver War lies in showing the dialectical interplay between domestic political authoritarianism, fierce geostrategic rivalries and constant foreign intervention. It fills a major gap in the field.' -- Fawaz A. Gerges, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics, and author of 'ISIS: A History''Combining factual breadth with analytical depth, this fine account of the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts manages to highlight both their intertwined character and key differences between the two countries' respective history and internal dynamics. It also challenges short-term explanations of the current fragmentation by showing how decades of Ba'thist rules have paved the way for it.' -- Thomas Pierret, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Islam, University of Edinburgh'A masterful book. William Harris is a veteran observer of the Fertile Crescent, and a particularly perceptive analyst. He offers a balanced and nuanced view of how Iraq and Syria descended into violence, instability and suffering at the hands of competing domestic, regional and international actors. In treating Iraq and Syria as a combined war Harris offers a better understanding of the complexities and the challenges awaiting both countries before a modicum of stability can be found.' -- Kemal Kirisci, TUSIAD Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, and author of 'Turkey and the West: Fault Lines in a Troubled Alliance''William Harris artfully sketches the trajectory of Syria and Iraq — two core states of the Arab world, whose geography and history made them key to the understanding of the region's past as well as its future — from stability and solidity under the dictatorships of Saddam Hussein and the Assad dynasty to civil war and Jihad.' -- Eyal Zisser, Vice Rector of Tel Aviv University and Yona and Dina Ettinger Chair in the Contemporary History of the Middle East'The catastrophic conflict in Syria and Iraq doesn’t lend itself to easy analysis. But William Harris, a politics prof at the University of New Zealand, is a knowledgeable guide.'

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Book SynopsisMirrored Loss tells the story of Amat al-Latif al Wazir, only daughter of 'Abdullah al-Wazir, the leader of Yemen's constitutional movement of the mid-twentieth century for democratisation of the autocratic imamate. Her relationship with her adored father, who was accused of treason, takes centre stage in this biographical narrative. Amat al-Latif, enjoyed a privileged childhood in a high-ranking family at the heart of Yemeni politics; yet the failed revolt of 1948 was the family's downfall, leaving her and other close relatives exposed to social indignities and privation. She then spent many years in exile, where she suffered a personal calamity that compounded the earlier catastrophe. Through one family's story, Gabriele vom Bruck explores how violence translates into tragedy in the personal realm, and how individual lives and larger cultural and political worlds intersect in Yemen. Her narrative makes these tragic events compellingly tangible, especially at the level of gendered subjectivity--female Yemenis have been either unknown to or deemed insignificant by most male historians of this period. Mirrored Loss is a significant step in righting that omission.Trade Review‘Vom Bruck cherishes the richness of al-Latif’s experiences, approaching her subject with affection and understanding … [her] juxtaposition of oral history and academic analysis makes Amat al-Latif al-Wazir’s compelling life story an essential part of Yemeni history.’ -- Times Literary Supplement‘An outstanding contribution to the interrelated fields of history, biographic narrative and anthropology.’ -- British-Yemeni Society Journal‘Vom Bruck sheds a new and fascinating light on a history that had, till now, almost exclusively been narrated through the eyes of male characters, either by western or Yemeni scholars, or in the form of memoirs published by decision makers. [This] book never fails to enrich our understanding of a historical context that is little known beyond Yemenis and a few academics.’ -- Arabian Humanities'Gabriele Vom Bruck excels in narrating a critical moment of Yemeni history from the point of view of those involved. Mirrored Loss allows for the expression of long-suppressed indigenous narratives while, at the same time, elucidating the frames and structures which inform them and render them intelligible. This rare juxtaposition of oral history and academic analysis makes for a fascinating, indispensable read.' -- Marieke Brandt, author of 'Tribes and Politics in Yemen: A History of the Houthi Conflict''A masterful combination of biographic narrative, historical context and ethnographic detail that vividly evokes the trials and tribulations of the cultural and political elite of North Yemen from a woman’s perspective. Highly recommended for students and scholars of the Middle East, gender studies, the anthropology of women and the study of memory.' -- Deniz Kandiyoti, Emeritus Professor in Development Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies'Anchored in the tumultuous events of 1948 and subsequent decline of the Yemeni political elite, vom Bruck traces Amat al-Latif al-Wazir’s trajectory into the twenty-first-century, through a "biographical narrative" attuned to what she calls "cultural frames." In so doing, Mirrored Loss makes a valuable contribution to recent auto/biographical scholarship devoted to unsettling the mostly male-centred fixation of the autonomous subject. Vom Bruck’s attentiveness to her own role as an "ethnographic listener" provides an added layer to her compelling discussions.' -- Norman Saadi Nikro, Research Fellow, Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient; author of 'The Fragmenting Force of Memory: Self, Literary Style, and Civil War in Lebanon'

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Book SynopsisInside the Arab State offers a comprehensive examination of contemporary Arab politics before and after the 2011 uprisings. Mehran Kamrava examines a broad range of political, economic, and social variables that shaped conceptions of power, functions and institutions of the state, the rise and evolution of social movements, the eruption of civil war in some countries and fragile polities in others, and evolving civil–military relations before and after the 2011 uprisings. Beginning with an examination of politics, and more specifically political institutions, in the Arab world from the 1950s on, the book traces the challenges faced by Arab states, and the wounds they inflicted on their societies and on themselves along the way. And at the crux of the book are the 2011 uprisings, states' responses to them, and efforts by political leaders to carve out new forms of legitimacy, as well as the reasons for the emergence and rise of the Islamic State. Power, and an increasingly narrow conception of it in terms of submission and conformity, remains at the heart of Arab politics, popular protests and yearnings for change notwithstanding. The 2011 uprisings changed much in the Arab world, but even more has stayed the same.Trade Review'Inside the Arab State is a top pick for understanding the Arab state and politics.’ -- Middle East Quarterly'An important book for understanding Arab politics and, in particular, the internal dynamics affecting the behaviour of many of the Arab states.’ -- Bustan: The Middle East Book Review'A major contribution to the study of Arab politics, Mehran Kamrava’s Inside the Arab State strikes a rare balance: theoretically rigorous yet accessible; panoramic but also rich in detail. It jettisons many of the usual tropes of the region in favour of a sophisticated argument that weaves together institutions, state-society relations, and the processes of contestation. A must-read for scholars, students and informed policymakers.' -- Frederic Wehrey, Senior Fellow, Middle East Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, author of 'The Burning Shores: Inside the Battle for the New Libya''An impressive accomplishment. In this concise and accessible account, Mehran Kamrava provides a sophisticated and nuanced survey of major trends in contemporary Arab politics. Offering a deeply informed and unsparing perspective on state dynamics and state-society relations in the years prior to and following the uprisings of 2011, Inside the Arab State is an essential guide to the challenges confronting Arab politics in the twenty-first century.' -- Steven Heydemann, Ketcham Professor of Middle East Studies, Smith College'An ideal primer for students and scholars seeking to grasp institutional continuity and change in the contemporary Arab world.' -- Jason Brownlee, Professor, Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin'Unlike some specialists, Mehran Kamrava has ranged widely in his pathbreaking analyses of the Middle East, taking on subjects as diverse as Iranian intellectual life, the plight of the Palestinians, and the emergence of small hydrocarbon giants like Qatar. In this book he steps back to capture the big picture of the evolution of politics in the region, from postcolonial nationalism to the heartbreaking failures of the Arab Spring youth revolts. This is essential reading, from one of our keenest observers of the region.' -- Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History, University of Michigan; author of 'The New Arabs: How the Millenial Generation is Changing the Middle East'

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Book SynopsisIran has emerged from decades of isolation and struggle to become a leading, if not the pre-eminent, regional power. Iran projects its influence throughout the Middle East and parts of Central Asia. Moreover, Iranian diplomacy is active on the world stage, with long-term projects in Africa and South America. The landmark nuclear deal of July 2015 was a major triumph and saw the Islamic Republic successfully negotiate with several world powers to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. Crucially, whilst the nuclear deal restricts Iran's nuclear programme for at least a decade, it doesn't irreversibly dismantle any part of it. With internal Iranian politics stabilising around a centrist administration led by President Rouhani, the country is set to continue on a path of regional strategic growth. But with clear signs that the Trump administration is determined to contain Iran's regional influence, what is the risk of a military confrontation? This book argues that Iran has developed sufficient diplomatic strength and credible military capability to deter a full-scale US military assault. But absent a dramatic lowering of tensions, there remains a risk of limited clashes, with far-reaching consequences for regional security.Trade Review'Few studies are as holistic in their consideration of Iranian politics, both foreign and domestic, as [Iran Resurgent]… a great resource for students and scholars of Iranian politics.' -- International Affairs

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Book SynopsisContemporary Yemen has an image problem. It has long fascinated travellers and artists, and to many embodies both Arab and Muslim authenticity; it stands at important geostrategic and commercial crossroads. Yet, strangely, global perceptions of Yemen are of an entity that is somehow both marginal and passive, yet also dangerous and problematic. The Saudi offensive launched in 2015 has made Yemen a victim of regional power struggles, while the global ‘war on terror’ has labelled it a threat to international security. This perception has had disastrous effects without generating real interest in the country or its people. On the contrary, Yemen’s complex political dynamics have been largely ignored by international observers—resulting in problematic, if not counterproductive, international policies. Yemen and the World offers a corrective to these misconceptions and omissions, putting aside the nature of the world’s interest in Yemen to focus on Yemen’s role on the global stage. Laurent Bonnefoy uses six areas of modern international exchange—globalisation, diplomacy, trade, migration, culture and militant Islamism—to restore Yemen to its place at the heart of contemporary affairs. To understand Yemen, he argues, is to understand the Middle East as a whole. Trade Review‘An intensely detailed examination of this ancient land on the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula. [The] current civil conflict can be better understood by a reading of Yemen and the World, perhaps more so than any other published account.’ -- CHOICE‘A thoroughly researched and compelling analysis that makes a solid contribution to Yemen studies by providing an insightful look at Yemeni international interactions over the past two centuries.’ -- Bustan: The Middle East Book ReviewThis is an outstanding book, an incisive and in-depth look at Yemeni international interactions over the past two centuries. Bonnefoy's examination of migrants, merchants, and refugees, and literature, song, and poetry takes the reader on a far richer and highly compelling journey than others have done. -- Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Fellow for the Middle East, Rice University Baker Institute for Public Policy, and Associate Fellow in the Middle East & North Africa Programme, Chatham HouseBonnefoy deftly weaves together historical and contemporary analysis through the lens of transnational flows of ideas, people, and claims. This is essential to a better understanding of what is (and is not) new about Yemen's axes of conflict and potential for sustainable peace. -- Stacey Philbrick Yadav, Chair of the International Relations Program, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and author of 'Islamists and the State: Legitimacy and Institutions in Yemen and Lebanon''A splendid documentation of Yemen's synergies with the world, both in history and contemporary times. Bonnefoy has done a superb job of persuading us of Yemen's vital position in the global community.' -- Marieke Brandt

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Book SynopsisSince the end of the Cold War Yemen's international position is governed by its precarious relations with its powerful neighbour Saudi Arabia and by extension the United States. In this important book based on a wide range of Arab and Western sources, the author analyses contemporary foreign policy issues and security matters - notably that of the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea, where Yemen is a significant player. With a wide range of sources including contact with key Yemeni and US policy-makers, Dr Al-Madhagi discusses US interests in Yemen, showing how the area fitted - and did not fit - into US policy-making during the Cold War and its aftermath. He analyses the relationship of a small state and superpower - from the Yemeni revolution in 1962 to unification in 1990 and demonstrates the often tetchy aspects of such relations. He also charts more recent disputes - with the US after the Gulf War and with Saudi Arabia over oil. This book makes an essential contribution to a better understanding of American foreign policy in the Middle East as well as the potential instabilities of the Arabian Peninsula. Ahmed Nomen Al-Madhagi is a Yemeni scholar specializing in contemporary history, politics and international relations, who undertook his research at the LSE, in Washington and Yemen.Table of Contents1. North Yemen - US contacts before 1962; 2. Initial YAR-US contacts; 3. Relations breached and restored, 1962-72; 4. Development of a US interest in the YAR; 5. The US and unified Yemen. Appendices: Main actors; Important dates in Yemen's recent history, 1962-94.

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Book SynopsisA discussion of transition in Jordan between 1990-2000, showing it to be a multi-faceted process, in which each facet interacts with the other, forming a coherent interdependent system. Economic transition has been a consequence of Jordan's isolation from its markets in Iraq and the Gulf in the 1990s, but is also inherent in its participation in attempts to foster peace as a key factor in regional stability. This is the preferred option of King 'Abdullah II (who succeeded the long-reigning King Hussain in 2000), and reflects the country's geostrategic options towards the United States and Europe. The Middle East peace process itself was the culmination of strategic choices made by King 'Abdullah I, even as Israel was being created, but it also reflects the domestic political situation in seeking to overcome demographic and cultural ruptures. Yet the domestic political situation is also contingent on the generational change in attitudes within the elite that followed King Hussain's death, and it remains to be seen to what extent political liberalization is a genuine option or whether it remains subservient to the older imperatives of the neo-patrimonial state. It is also not clear whether King 'Abdullah's enthusiasm for Jordan's future within a globalized world will become a reality. Significant change within Jordan depends on the outcome of the Palestine/Israel conflict and the new relationships that it can forge with the wider world - particularly with Europe, which will eventually become the dominant guarantor of regional stability because of its economic role within the Mediterranean and the wider Middle East.Table of ContentsJordan in transition; walking the tightrope - Jordanian foreign policy, 1990-2000; transformations in Jordan's national security perceptions; the effects of domestic forces on Jordan's democratization; comparing political liberalization in Jordan, Egypt and Tunisia; the role of law and monarchical liberalization; civil society and participation in Jordan; embedded authoritarianism; the role of opposition in Jordan; the problem of local governance; the effect of demographic change on political domination; transformation in the Palestinian refugee camps; tribalism in Kerak; the strengthening of the "nation"; the economy in the 1990s; the political economy of reform.

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Book SynopsisAlthough Israelis and Palestinians are adamant that they will not negotiate or indeed compromise over the status of Jerusalem, agreements have been made and understandings reached between the two protagonists, as well as between other Arab states. This book sheds light on the political history of Jerusalem in Arab-Israeli relations over the last 25 years. The author adopts a multidisciplinary approach -involving history, political science, geography, city planing, sociology and international relations - in order to integrate the political status of the city on the negotiating table with its complex urban reality, thereby dispelling many of the myths that shape political discourse about the city. Too often, he argues, Jerusalem's complex political geography has been overlooked in the rush to maximise short-term political gains. The first chapter presents the geographical and urban reality and its historical background: the second describes how Jerusalem was treated during the peace negotiations between Israel and Egypt in 1977-9; the third analyses the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations from the early 1980s to the Declaration of Principles signed by Israel and the PLO in September 1993; the fourth discusses the status of the Arab League and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, as well as the status of Jordan in the negotiations concerning Jerusalem and the city's Islamic holy sites; the fifth analyses the Palestinians' position regarding Jerusalem and relations between their local representatives and the Palestinian Authority's national institutions; the sixth examines whether the uniqueness of East Jerusalem also finds expression in its politics. To this end, it analyses the political profile of East Jerusalem's inhabitants and of their representatives in the Legislative Council of the Palestinian Authority. The seventh chapter addresses Israeli policy and actions, under the Labour and Likud administrations. The conclusion discusses the permanent status negotiations, including the unofficial understTrade Review'This is an important and well-researched book. It traces the political, municipal and to a lesser extent, socio-cultural aspects of Jerusalem during the Israeli occupation of East (Arab) Jerusalem since June 1967. Klein comprehends both the Jewish and the Arab feelings regarding the city and recognises the: 'It is the capital of Israel, but East Jerusalem is the future Palestinian state's capital-in-the-making. Most Palestinians feel a personal relationship with Jerusalem even if they have not visited it for years'.' * Jordan Times *

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Book SynopsisImmediately after the US-led invasion of Iraq, which was opposed by the Syrian government of Bashar al-Asad, there were real fears that Damascus would be next in line for 'regime change'. This perception was reinforced by Washington's rhetoric and its claims that the post-invasion Iraqi insurgency is being assisted by the Syrian intelligence service. The assassination of the Lebanese prime minister, Rafiq Hariri, compounded this pressure, with many observers pointing the finger at Damascus. The repercussions of his murder were anything but beneficial: Syria was compelled to withdrew its troops from Lebanon, where they had been stationed for nearly three decades. On the domestic front, Bashar is caught between hardliners and an increasingly impatient opposition. But will international pressure precipitate long overdue political reforms, or might it rebound, stifling the albeit hesitant relaxation of internal controls? Wieland argues that the West must not ignore Syria's robust tradition of secularism, and cautions that US attempts to undermine the current regime may, paradoxically, embolden the Islamists and help the regime to maintain its authoritarian grip on power.Trade Review'An excellent book.' -Joshua Landis,Syriaconnect.comTable of Contents1. Wrested from Slumber2. Bashar and Breaches in the Leadership3. The Pillars of Regime Legitimacy4. The Negative Balance5. Che not Usama: Syrian Society and Western Ideals6. Excursus: Secularism in Syria7. Is Baathism Bankrupt?8. Opposition, Islam, and the Regime9. Syria the Rogue State?10. Contradictory US Policy11. Political Options for the European Union12. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisSina Ak-in is one of Turkey's most important historians, and published in 1996 the Turkish version of this book, which has already gone into several editions. It was inspired by the author's conviction that in Turkey itself the teaching of 20th-century Turkish history -with which the book is largely concerned -and indeed of the social sciences as a whole is inadequate. As the Bibliographical Note makes clear, the histories of modern Turkey available to Western readers are almost entirely by Western scholars; substantial works in Turkish exist, but have not been translated. The appearance of Ak-in's work in this English edition thus establishes a bridge between Turkish scholarship and Western readers, who will find his treatment of the period before, during and after the First World War, encompassing the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of Ataturk, clear and compelling. The final three chapters, on the 1980s, the 1990s and the new millennium, concluding with the question of EU accession, were written specially for the English edition, and will attract particular attention for the sophisticated Turkish view they provide of the contemporary period.Trade Review&"Of recent important works on the history of Turkey, this one should rank among the best in recounting the evolution of the modern state from 1789 to the present....The book is replete with important detail, well written in the translated form, and quite suitable to substitute for other works on the subject. . . . Essential."

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Book SynopsisWhy is Iran continuously in the news? How has the Islamic Republic developed ideologically since the 1979 revolution? What are the best ways of comprehending the country at this critical juncture in its history? These are some of the questions at the heart of Arshin Adib-Moghaddam's book, which offers novel methodological and theoretical insights in explaining the foreign relations and domestic politics of post-revolutionary Iran. From the nuclear issue, to the perpetual stand-off with the United States, from the future of Iranian democracy to Iranian-Arab relations, from American neo-conservatism to Islamic utopian-romanticism, from Avicenna to Ayatollah Khomeini, the author guides the reader through the complexities that bedevil our understanding of contemporary Iran. In exposing the limitations of mainstream representations of the country and the wider Muslim world, 'Iran in World Politics' makes a powerful case for 'critical Iranian studies', for a new system of thought that pluralises both the way we see Iran, and the international politics enveloping the country.Trade Review'Adib-Moghaddam's engaging analysis of the Iranian politics is an effective antidote against the widespread characterisation of the Islamic Republics the centre of the Shi'i crescent and a regime ruled by messianic fanatics who are soon to be armed with nuclear weapons.' -- Gunes Murat Tezcur, Insight Turkey'Arshin Adib-Moghaddam's study is a dynamic and analytical one, where both ideational and material dialectics shape contemporary politics. Not only is this an original contribution, but it also serves as an in-depth critical analysis.' -- A. Reza Sheikholeslami, Wadham College, University of Oxford and the American University of SharjahTable of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. Islamic Utopian Romanticism and the Foreign Policy Culture of Iran2. Inventions of the Iran-Iraq War and the Myth of Endemic 'Persian-Arab'Enmity3. Iranian-American Encounters: The Islamic Republic in the Neo-conservativeMind4. Iran's Pluralistic Momentum and the Future of Iranian Democracy5. In Place of a Conclusion: Towards Critical Iranian Studies

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Book SynopsisSaladin, or Salah-al-Din (1138-1193), Sultan of Egypt and Syria, is perhaps best known as the implacable warrior who led his Saracen forces against the third crusade (1189-92) under King Richard I - Richard Lionheart.Resolved to drive out the Christians from Palestine, Saladin had earlier defeated them in battle at Tiberius in 1187. He then went on to capture Acre, Ascalon and Jerusalem.These Holy Wars were among the bloodiest in history, for both sides saw it as a responsibility of their faith to kill as many non-believers as possible. Massacres of women and children, and frightful atrocities to the vanquished, stain the reputation of both sides. Saladin, alone, stands as a manof magnanimous spirit and generosity. Even among his enemies he was regarded as a pattern for chivalric courage and honour. As the author himself states: ''If the taking of Jerusalem were the only known fact about Saladin, it were enough to prove him the most chivalrous and great-hearted conqueror of any age."Stanley Lane-Poole (1854-1931) writes sensitively on his subject and, although first published in 1898, his biography of Saladin remains a primary source for historians. This facsimile of the first edition, complete with original illustrations, will enable a wider readership to acquaint themselves with the life of a remarkable man.

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Book SynopsisSHAH ʻABBAS (1571–1629) is the most well-known king of Iran’s Safavid dynasty (1501–1722), ruling at the height of its power and prestige. When Shah ‘Abbas came to power his country was in chaos. Yet within eleven years he had regained territory lost to his enemies, moved his capital city and begun a transformation of Iranian society. Few aspects of life were unaffected by his policies and the new capital he built, the spectacular Isfahan, is still referred to as nisf-i jahan, or “half the world”, by Iranians today. In this wide-ranging profile, Sholeh A. Quinn explores Shah ʻAbbas’s rise to power and his subsequent interactions with religious movements and artistic developments, reaching beyond the historical narrative to assess the true impact of the man and his politics. Thought provoking and comprehensive, this account is ideal for readers interested in uncovering the life and thoughts of a man who ruled during a period described by many as a golden age for the arts in Iran.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Preface Abbreviations 1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The Safavids: the Sufi Order From Sufi Order to Ruling Dynasty After Isma‘il Qizilbash Culture and Society Imposing Shi‘ism Early Notions of Legitimacy, Power, and Authority Iran and the World: a Brief Overview 2 EARLY YEARS: 1571–1598 The Immediate Context: The Reigns of Shah Isma‘il II and Muhammad Khudabanda The Birth of Shah ‘Abbas First Attempts to Place ‘Abbas Mirza on the Throne ‘Abbas Mirza’s Second Enthronement Shah ‘Abbas in Power Shah ‘Abbas and the Qizilbash External Challenges: the Ottoman Truce External Challenges: Relations with the Mughals Gilan and Mazandaran The New Ghulam Army Shah ‘Abbas and the Sufi Orders Suppression of Religious Heresies: the Nuqtavis Shah ‘Abbas’s Temporary Dethronement Shah ‘Abbas and Political Legitimacy Shah ‘Abbas as “The Supreme Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction” 3 BUILDING HALF THE WORLD: 1598–1612 The Image of the World Square The King’s Palace The Royal Mosque The Shaykh Lutf Allah Mosque The Royal Bazaar Endowments Social Transformations: the Armenians and New Julfa Social Transformations: the Safavid Household in Isfahan General Economic Policies and Measures Shah ‘Abbas in Isfahan 4 RELIGION AND POWER IN ISFAHAN The Pilgrimage on Foot to Mashhad Shah ‘Abbas and the ‘Amili Clergy Systematizing Orthodox Shi‘ism: Shaykh Baha’i The Friday Prayer Controversy The School of Isfahan Shah ‘Abbas and Christianity Religion and Kingship 5 FROM HALF THE WORLD TO THE OTHER HALF: WARFARE AND DIPLOMACY Firearms The Battle for Khurasan: Shah ‘Abbas and the Uzbeks Narrating the Campaign The Battle against the Uzbeks Shah ‘Abbas’s European Diplomacy The Anti-Ottoman Alliance Diverting the Flow of Silk Travelers to the Shah The Western Front: Shah ‘Abbas and the Ottomans 6 THE ARTS IN THE SERVICE OF KINGSHIP New Artistic Styles A New Visual Identity Calligraphers and Painters Sadiqi Beg Afshar ‘Ali Riza ‘Abbasi Mir ‘Imad Riza-yi ‘Abbasi The Arts in Diplomacy and Gift-Giving The Embassy of Khan ‘Alam The Pierport Morgan Picture Bible Internal Gift-Giving 7 THE FINAL PHASE: 1612–1629 Ashraf and Farahabad Campaigns to Georgia The Royal Export Silk Monopoly Victory in Hormuz The Taking of Qandahar The Taking of Baghdad Succession to the Throne Shah ‘Abbas’s Death Succession and Funeral Conclusions Further Reading Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe earliest battle in history which can be reconstructed in detail, Qadesh pitted the two great warriors of the age against each other, Muwatallish of Hatti and the great warrior-Pharaoh Rameses II. With the Hittites gaining the initial advantage, all seemed lost until Rameses himself led his personal followers into the fray. However, in spite of the appearance of Egyptian reinforcements, the bravery of the pharaoh and the tactically superior showing of the Egyptian chariotry, the dislocation of his army frustrated the Pharaoh's wider strategic aspirations. Mark Healy recounts the course of this key battle, which could so easily have gone either way.Table of ContentsIntroduction/Rameses II and Muwatallish/The Opposing Armies/The Battle of Qadesh/Aftermath/Chronology/A Guide to Further Reading/Wargaming Qadesh

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Book SynopsisIsrael relies for its survival on its lucrative arms trade and American military support. Meanwhile, the Palestinians suffer poverty and destitution as an occupied nation. Indeed, without vast international financial support the Palestinians would face starvation.Any solution is impossible while Israel pursues an aggressive program of settlement expansion and ethnic cleansing. The author draws extensively on Jewish sources to prove Israel is on the wrong track. He looks beyond the moribund two state solution, which he likens to Apartheid, to show there is a better future achievable for both peoples: one that is secular, democratic, bi-national, culturally vibrant and economically successful.Table of ContentsForeword Preface Chapters1 A Land of milk and honey? 2 The Constant Conflict 3 Breaking the Power of the Past4 Israel and the Practise of Power5 Palestine: Resilience and Resistance6 Conflict: The Gaza Experience7 Human Rights: The Only Way Forward8 Re-Imagining the Future9 Conclusion: a case for optimism ReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisWhen Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount and the Al-Aqsa mosque in September 2000, there began at once a cycle of violence that has yet to be resolved. Ilkka Uimonen was there to witness the events. As the vehemence escalated he sought out flashpoints on both sides, Palestinian and Israeli. His photographs in Cycles do not follow the chronology of the events; they are very much his own narrative of his experiences. His sequence of 61 photographs of the combatants, and the innocents, is presented without an introduction. The violence and defining sentiments require none. His images fill the page, all of them full bleed, and provide a mesmeric testimony to the aggression, despair and pride that exist without boundaries in Palestine. Cycles has been edited and bound with Ilkka Uimonen's stark realism in mind. There are no frills to this volume that weighs heavy in the hand.

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Book Synopsis'Mario Liverani's work is among the most original and penetrating in the discipline of ancient Near Eastern studies. I recommend this brilliant and fascinating book with high enthusiasm.' Benjamin R. Foster, Laffan Professor of Assyriology and Babylonian Literature and Curator of the Yale Babylonian Collection, Yale University 'This collection of his classic essays, selected by Liverani himself, and presented in English for the first time, displays Liverani's brilliance in dissecting a variety of myths, treaties, royal inscriptions, letters and Biblical narratives. Liverani's influence on the interpretation of history is generously acknowledged by professional historians of the Ancient Near East and by the Italian reading public. This collection will bring his substantive contributions and his method to a wider audience of historians, anthropologists, and literary critics. The editors have done a splendid job introducing the essays, revising Liverani's own translations and providing handy references to studies that have appeared since Liverani's original work.' Norman Yoffee, Professor of Near Eastern Studies, University of Michigan The essays collected in this volume represent a selection of studies, previously published mainly in Italian, that make explicit use of anthropological and semiological tools in order to analyze important texts of historical nature from various regions of the Ancient Near East. They suggest that these historiographical texts were of a 'true' historical nature, and that the literary forms and mental models employed were very apt at accomplishing the intended results. Two different aspects are especially emphasized: myth and politics.Trade Review'The availability of these essays now in English is a truly invaluable service to the wider scholarly audience of the ancient Near East.' Bryn Mawr College Review Mario Liverani's work is among the most original and penetrating in the discipline of ancient Near Eastern studies. I recommend this brilliant and fascinating book with high enthusiasm.' Professor Benjamin R. Foster, Yale University 'This collection of his classic essays, selected by Liverani himself, and presented in English for the first time, displays Liverani's brilliance in dissecting a variety of myths, treaties, royal inscriptions, letters and Biblical narratives. Liverani's influence on the interpretation of history is generously acknowledged by professional historians of the Ancient Near East and by the Italian reading public. This collection will bring his substantive contributions and his method to a wider audience of historians, anthropologists, and literary critics. The editors have done a splendid job introducing the essays, revising Liverani's own translations and providing handy references to studies that have appeared since Liverani's original work.' Proessor Norman Yoffee, University of MichiganTable of ContentsEditors' Introduction; Abbreviations; Part One: Mesopotamia; 1. Adapa, Guest of the Gods; Part Two: Hittite Anatolia; 2. Telipinu, or: on Solidarity; 3. Shunashura, or: on Reciprocity; Part Three: Syria; 4. Leaving by Chariot for the Desert; 5. Rob-Adda, Righteous Sufferer; 6. Aziru, Servant of Two Masters; Part Four: Hebrew Bible; 7. The Story of Joash; 8. Messages, Women, and Hospitality. Inter-tribal Communication in Judges 19-21

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Book SynopsisThe Arab-Israeli conflict has been one of the most defining features of recent world history, flaring up into open war fare yet again in Gaza at the end of 2008 and provoking large-scale demonstrations in the streets of cities across the world. The decision in 1919 by the Paris Peace Conference to award the Mandate for Palestine to Great Britain - which had announced its commitment to the creation of a national home for the Jewish people in the Balfour Declaration two years previously - sowed the seeds of this seemingly intractable problem, yet when the Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann (1874-1952) spoke before the Conference on 27 February 1919, he would have appeared as only one of the many representatives of minor nationalities putting their case to the peacemakers, and, what is more, one whose people had no territory of their own. How a Jewish chemistry professor from an obscure part of Eastern Europe could find himself at the heart of international diplomacy, and later become the first president of the State of Israel, is one of the most fascinating stories of the Paris Peace Conference and its aftermath. Ninety years after the Conference, what Weizmann said and did there is an essential part of our understanding of how this small, but critical, part of the world evolved out of the deliberations.Trade ReviewZionism has been an amazingly successful enterprise. The notion of building a national movement for a widely dispersed partly assimilated people and of implementing this movement's vision by actually building a national state could easily be dismissed as a fantasy, as it often was. Zionism's success was facilitated by extraneous circumstances - the holocaust, the weakness and errors of its Arab antagonists, by its own innate strength and, to a large extent, by the quality of its leadership, from the original visionary, Theodor Herzl, to Israel's founding fathers, Chaim Weizmann and David Ben- Gurion. Ben-Gurion was the leader who led the Zionist movement and the Jewish community in Palestine through the final phases of the struggle for statehood and was subsequently the first prime minister who left an indelible imprint on the young Israeli state. Chaim Weizmann, who preceded Ben-Gurion as the leader of the Zionist movement, lost the primacy to the dominant figure in the Jewish community in Palestine. He was elected as Israel's first president and head of state, but never concealed his bitterness for having to settle on a ceremonial role. Weizmann's position declined when the center of gravity shifted from the Diaspora to the growing community in Palestine and from London to Washington. Weizmann's heyday as Zionism's leader coincided with his "British period" and with Britain's "moment" in the Middle East, when it became the paramount power in the Middle East, assumed control of Palestine and undertook to build a Jewish "national home" in the territory assigned to it as League of Nations mandate. Weizmann played a major role in these events. Britain's decision to take control of Palestine (contrary to its undertakings to its French and Arab allies) and to establish a Jewish national home there was motivated by complex considerations - from a desire to have a land bridge from Iraq to the Mediterranean, through the reluctance to have French presence so close to the Suez Cannel, to the expectations that Jewish influence in the United States and Soviet Russia would be directed to support the war. There were also countervailing considerations and the British government's decision to issue the Balfour Declaration in November 1917 and to convert it into a Palestine Mandate could not be envisaged without the role played by Chaim Weizmann. T.G. Fraser was commissioned to write the volume on Weizmann in the series "Makers of the Modern World" which deals with "the peace conferences of 1919-1923 and their aftermath". He thus had the pleasant task of dealing with Weizmann's heyday. The volumes in this series are slim and the series is designed for the educated lay leader. Prof. Fraser has ably captured Weizmann's charisma and charm and his ability to manipulate and influence the British ruling elite. He is also skillful in taking the reader through the maze of World War I diplomacy and its aftermath. The book is not meant to engage the academic community and is not free of inaccuracies (due largely to overreliance on Weizmann's own writings), but as a brief engaging account of Weizmann the leader and the origins of the Jewish national home, it is an excellent piece of work. -- Itamar Rabinovich H-Diplo Review 20101011

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Book SynopsisFrom the Arab world comes a love story between an Arab man and an American woman that lasted more than half a century. Their lives spanned both sides of the Jordan River, and their love was tested by the traditions of an ancient and proud Christian tribe and the contrasts between their cultures. Although surrounded by conflicts in the Middle East, they built family hotels that survive as a tribute to his dreams and strength and her unwavering determination to support him.

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Book SynopsisAncient Alexandria was built by the Greek Macedonians. Ptolemy started the dynasty and in thirty years completed the first lighthouse, and the grand library and museum, which functioned as a university with an emphasis on science, known as "The Alexandrian School". Scholars attended as "the birthplace of science" from all over the ancient world. Two of the most eminent were Euclid, the father of geometry, and Claudios Ptolemy, writer of The Almagest, a book on astronomy. These are the oldest surviving science textbooks. Herein there are stories about scientists, poets and religious philosophers, responsible for influencing the western mind with their writings.Modern Alexandria was rebuilt in 1805 by multi-ethnic communities who created a successful commercial city and port with an enviable life-style for its inhabitants for 150 years. In 1952 the Free Officers of the Egyptian Army masterminded a coup to free the country from the monarchy and British domination. In 1956 the socialist regime under Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser closed the Suez Canal, resulting in the Anglo-French-Israeli invasion. This outburst of Egyptian nationalism and military revolution by this understandably anti-Western regime included the confiscation of property belonging to foreigners and the subsequent mass exodus of business and artisan classes that hitherto had made the city so successful. The author was an eye-witness to these events and he sets out the political errors and failures of both Egyptian and Western leaders. The legacy of the resulting political and social confusions is deeply apparent in the continuing unrest in the Middle East, and in particular in Egypt.

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