Middle Eastern history Books

Trade ReviewThe first comprehensive study of its kind. * Qantara *The author does justice to a subject often mentioned, yet rarely studied. * Abstracta Iranica *Table of Contents1. A Brief History of Censorship in Iran from the Early Days of the Press until the 1979 Revolution 2. Laws, Theories and Policies of Censorship in the Islamic Republic of Iran 3. The Censor Machine: Strcuture and Mechanism, Operators, Changes and Variations 4. Censors at Work 5. Reward and Punishment: Different Tools for the Same End 6. How Do Writers and Poets React to Censorship? 7. How Is Censorship Affecting Iranian Literature? 8. Conclusion Notes and References Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTurkish Intelligence and the Cold War examines the hitherto unexplored history of secret intelligence cooperation between three asymmetric partners specifically the UK, US and Turkey from the end of the Second World War until the Turkey's first military coup d''état on 27 May 1960. The book shows that our understanding of the Cold War as a binary rivalry between the two blocs is too simple an approach and obscures important characteristics of intelligence cooperation among allies. Egemen Bezci shows that a pragmatic approach offers states new opportunities to protect national interests, by conducting 'intelligence diplomacy' to influence crucial areas such as nuclear weapons and to exploit cooperation in support of their own strategic imperatives. This study not only reveals previously-unexplored origins of secret intelligence cooperation between Turkey and West, but also contributes to wider academic debates on the nature of the Cold War by highlighting the potential agency Trade ReviewTurkish Intelligence & The Cold War will broaden many readers knowledge of Turkish intelligence. A worthwhile contribution to the literature. * Studies in Intelligence *In April 1957 US Ambassador Fletcher Warren burst into Prime minister Menderes’s cabinet meeting to try and prevent him from taking military action in Syria. Menderes had to make a hard choice. This is one of the more dramatic moments in Egemen Bezci’s new book Turkish Intelligence and the Cold War. * Duvar English *Overall, the book is highly likely to be beneficial for scholars and students who are interested in Cold War history, Middle Eastern history, Turkish history and Intelligence Studies. It focuses on an under-studied topic, challenges the conventional wisdom and makes a significant contribution to the literature. * Middle Eastern Studies *Turkish Intelligence and the Cold War is unique in several ways, it gets us to think about the Cold War from outside the simple binary of the East-West divide, enables us to examine non-Western approaches to espionage and gets us to analyse how weaker powers respond to the asymmetrical relationships. * The New Arab *A useful contribution to the intelligence literature, in particular on the subject of international intelligence cooperation and the role of intelligence in foreign policy. * Intelligence and National Security *Table of ContentsIntroduction - Dark Origins of the Turkish-British-American Alliance 1. Machinery in Comparison 2. Historical Background, 1923-1945 3. (Dis)Trusting your Allies: NATO and CENTO 4. Spies, Atoms and Signals 5. Counter-Subversion: Our Common 'Enemies' 6. Covert Action: The Turks' Hidden Hand in Syria 7. Conclusion: Keeping up with the Alliance 8. Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisChristopher Solomon is an analyst specializing in Middle East history and politics, and works for a US defense consultancy in Washington, D.C., USA.Trade ReviewA needed analysis of a dynamic group pursuing political change ... This book should be required for advanced students navigating the modern history of the Levant. * Choice *Provides the reader with an accessible and comprehensive overview of the [SSNP's] history. * The Middle East Journal *Chris Solomon provides an insightful and invaluable account into one of the oldest political movements in the Levant. Abundant with assassinations, betrayals and military coups, there is no dull moment in the history of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party which continues to be very relevant today as Solomon demonstrates in this book. It is a vital resource for anyone aiming to understand Levantine politics and modern history. -- Rim Turkmani, London School of Economics and Political Science, UKIn Search of Greater Syria is interesting, bright, eloquent and readable, presenting the reader with the first comprehensive picture of the history of the SSNP. This is therefore a must-read book for anyone seeking to learn the history of the party but also the turbulent history of Syria and Lebanon. * Eyal Zisser, Tel Aviv University, Israel *In Search of Greater Syria is the most detailed account ever written on the fascinating political movement of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.Christopher Solomon analyses with great skill how this relatively small anti-sectarian and secular party, which eschewed ethnicity and language in favor of history and territory, has been attractive for people from minorities in both Syria and Lebanon. He shows eloquently how the SSNP developed from a fierce competitor of the Ba’th Party in Syria during the 1950s, into being its ally during the Syrian civil war (which started in 2011). While the SNNP over the decades pragmatically scaled down its original ideal of a wider Fertile Crescent unity (including Iraq) in favor of a more restricted unity of a Greater Syria (including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine), the pan-Arab ideals of the Ba’th regime in Syria likewise faded down in favor of a kind of pan-Syrianism, as a result of which both parties, ideologically speaking, came closer to one another. This study shows convincingly that the SSNP will be an essential factor to watch in the future, as long as this party does not overplay its hand, as a result of which it would risk renewed persecution. -- Nikolaos van Dam, former Dutch ambassador and author of Destroying a Nation: The Civil War in Syria.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction and why the SSNP matters Chapter 2: The Party of the Martyr Chapter 3: The SSNP’s Ideology Chapter 4: The SSNP’s beginnings in Syria Chapter 5: Under the shadow of Nasser Chapter 6: The Lebanese Civil War Chapter 7: From guerillas to politicians, the SSNP in Lebanese politics Chapter 8: The SSNP in the Syrian Civil War Chapter 9: Women, youth, and social media Chapter 10: The SSNP’s future in Syria Key figures and factions A list of SSNP presidents A timeline of the SSNP's factions and historic splits

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Book SynopsisLeonie Fleischmann is a Lecturer in International Politics and the MA Programme Director for Human Rights at the Department of International Politics, City University of London. She was also the 2017-2018 non-resident Research Fellow at the International Centre for Non-Violent Conflict in Washington D.C. She has been a Visiting Teaching Fellow at both King's College London and SOAS. She completed her PhD in International Politics at City University London in 2015.Trade ReviewThis is an important work for students of Israeli politics and the Palestine question, as well as for other specialists in comparative and international politics concerned with ethnic conflict, human rights in the face of apartheid-like structures, and social movements. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals. * CHOICE *A meticulously presented work of impeccable scholarship and an unreservedly recommended contribution to college and university library Israeli/Palestinian collections and supplemental curriculum studies. * Midwest Book Review *Table of ContentsList of Tables Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Re-Framing Israeli Anti-Occupation Activism The Liberal Zionist Component: Failing to Resonate The Radical Component: Consistently Confrontational The Human Rights Component: Challenging Israeli Consensus Gender and the Framing of Israeli Anti-Occupation Activism Irreconcilable Differences Reconciling Differences: The Case of Sheikh Jarrah Moving Forward: New Ideas Chapter 3: New Ways to Resist Contained Collective Action Harnessing Institutionalised Forms of Activism Tours Nonviolent Resistance Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Conscientious Objection Conclusion: Demobilisation, Expansion and Evolution Chapter 4: A Changing Landscape Who are the Activists? Mobilisation Structures since the Al Aqsa Intifada The International Dimension Mobilisation Beyond People: Funding Chapter 5: Three Paths of Activism Path One: Demobilisation of the Liberal Zionist Component Path Two: The Continued Efforts of the Human Rights Component Path Three: A New Wave of Radical Activism Chapter 6: Beyond the Policy Realm Reflections on the Theoretical Foundations of Social Movements The Influence of Israeli Anti-Occupation Activism Notes Appendix: Table of Israeli Peace and Anti-Occupation Groups Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSaud al-Sarhan (PhD, University of Exeter) is Secretary General at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was previously the Director of Research at KFCRIS. He is also an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the College of Social Sciences and International Studies at Exeter University, UK, an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) at King's College London, and a Distinguished International Affairs Fellow of the National Council on US-Arab Relations, USA.Trade ReviewSaud al-Sarhan has brought together an impressive array of contributors as editor of this book, which is the first to analyse the history and meaning of political quietism in Islamic societies around the globe. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the work is, indeed, its willingness to admit and impartially examine variations in the practice and thought of Muslim societies [...] This book feels like the start of a new debate which recognizes quietism in Islam, not as a form of subservience but as political power. -- International AffairsThis book is a welcome addition in the field, providing an extremely useful nuanced discussion; I suspect that it will be required reading for anyone with a genuine interest in the politics of Islam. * Middle East Monitor *"An excellent introduction to key concepts and developments in quietist political theology in Islam ... a book well worth reading especially for anyone interested in politics, Islam, Islamism, Islamic theology, and sociology of religion" -- Asif Mohiuddin, Sakarya University, TurkeyThe [book] enables the reader [to have] a wealth of insights into the historical and contemporary developments in Muslim countries ... It belongs in every library with humanities, social sciences and literature, and can be used by all readers. * Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes (Bloomsbury Translation) *Table of ContentsIntroduction Saud al-Sarhan, The King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Saudi Arabia; and Faisal Abullhassan, Johns Hopkins University, USA Part I – The Concept of Political Quietism: Its Problematics and the Islamic Context 1 – Making Sense of ‘Political Quietism’—An Analytical Intervention Jan-Peter Hartung, University of Göttingen, Germany 2 – Expressions of Political Quietism in Islamic History Ebrahim Moosa, University of Notre Dame, USA; and Nicholas Roberts, Sewanee: The University of the South, USA Part II – Political Quietism in Classical Islam 3 – The Rightly-Guided Caliphs: The Range of Views Preserved in Hadith Robert Gleave, University of Exeter, UK; and Christopher Melchert, University of Oxford, UK 4 – “Patience in Our Situation Is Better than Sedition”: The Shift to Political Quietism in the Sunni Tradition Saud al-Sarhan, The King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Saudi Arabia 5 – Quietism and Political Legitimacy in Imami Shi'i Jurisprudence: al-Sharif al-Murtada’s Treatise on the Legality of Working for the Government Reconsidered Robert Gleave, University of Exeter, UK Part III – Political Quietism in Modern and Contemporary Islamic Thought 6 – “I’m Only a Village Farmer and a Dervish’: Between Political Quietism and Spiritual Leadership: Early Modern Shi'i Sufism and the Challenge of Modernity Alessandro Cancian, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK 7 – Legal Discourses on Hijra in the Caucasus after the Fall of the Caucasus Imamate: Risalat al-sharifa by the Dagestani Scholar 'Abd al-Rahman al-Thughuri Mogamed Gizbulaev, Princeton University, USA 8 – Constitutionalism as Quietist Strategy: The Case of Tunisia Jeremy Kleidosty, University of Helsinki, Finland 9 – “Dropping a Thick Curtain of Forgetting and Disregard”: Modern Shi'i Quietism Beyond Politics Rainer Brunner, The French National Center for Scientific Research, France 10 – Public Piety and the Politics of Preaching Among Female Preachers in Riyadh Laila Makboul, University of Oslo, Norway 11 – The Gülen Movement in Azerbaijan: Political Quietism or Taqiyya? Fuad Aliyve, ADA University, Azerbaijan 12 – The Neo-Traditionalist Critique of Modernity and the Production of Political Quietism Walaa Quisay, University of Oxford, UK

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Book SynopsisAvi Shilon is Visiting Scholar and Israel Institute Fellow at the Taub Center for Israel Studies at New York University (NYU) in the U.S. Previously he was a postdoctoral fellow at The Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. He has also been a postdoctoral fellow at Tsinghua University, China. He has published the books Ben-Gurion: His Later Years in the Political Wilderness (2016)and Menachem Begin: A Life (2012) as well as articles in Middle Eastern Studies, The Jewish Quarterly Review and Middle East Journal. Shilon also writes for the Ha'aretz newspaper.Trade ReviewWell-researched and insightful book … absorbing and well-argued. * Fathom *Shilon has provided readers with another significant and illuminating political biography, following upon those he wrote about David Ben-Gurion and Menachem Begin. Shilon leaves us eagerly awaiting his next project. * Middle East Journal *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part 1 Chapter 1: A Broken Dream Chapter 2: First Political Steps Chapter 3: Statecraft and Politics Chapter 4: From Opposition to Unity Chapter 5: In the Eye of the Storm Part 2 Chapter 6: The Small-Big Upheaval: From Opposition to Oslo Chapter 7: Peace Contends with Reality Chapter 8: After Rabin’s Murder Chapter 9: The End of the Conflict and its Continuation Chapter 10: New Paths: Geneva, Meretz, Beilink Chapter 11: Epilogue to Peace Chapter 12: Afterword Bibliography Notes

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Book SynopsisAtta Muhammad is Lecturer at Talim-ul-Islam College, Pakistan. He holds PhD from the University of Leeds, UK.Trade ReviewA fascinating study and snapshot into civic life in medieval Baghdad. * Middle East Monitor *In this first comprehensive study of Sufism in medieval Baghdad, Atta Muhammad offers an insightful interrogation of the pivotal role played by Sufis, who worked for the common good alongside members of various segments of society, in the public sphere of the city during the late Abbasid period. Rich in substance and theory, this book advances our understanding of the concept, creation, nature, and operation of a vibrant and inclusive public sphere in medieval Islamic societies and the significance of Sufi agency therein beyond the temporal and spatial specifics. * Daphna Ephrat, Professor of Islamic and Near Eastern History, The Open University of Israel *This is an interesting and, in many ways, original book. It feeds into the growing body of literature which pushes back against the "orientalist" idea that medieval Muslim rulers were absolute and arbitrary dictators who had no sustained or fruitful interactions with their subjects. Instead Atta Muhammad shows how the Sufis were among a number of groups who articulated and represented popular concerns and, at least on some occasions, stood up to and confronted rulers and their ill-disciplined soldiery. * Hugh Kennedy, Professor of Arabic, SOAS University of London, UK *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Transliteration and Dates Introduction Chapter 1 The Concept of the Public Sphere in Medieval Islamic Societies Chapter 2 Spaces for the Public Good in Medieval Islamic Societies Chapter 3 Baghdad in the Late Abbasid Caliphate Chapter 4 The Ribat: An Institution of the Public Sphere Chapter 5 Sufis’ Relations with the Ruling Authorities and their Contribution to the Public Sphere Conclusion Appendix: Maps and tables Bibliography

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Book SynopsisAn updated edition that sheds new light on one of the most dramatic reversals of military fortune in modern history.The easing of Israeli military censorship after four decades has enabled Abraham Rabinovich to offer fresh insights into this fiercest of Israel-Arab conflicts. A surprise Arab attack on two fronts on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, with Israel’s reserves un-mobilized, triggered apocalyptic visions in Israel, euphoria in the Arab world, and fraught debates on both sides. Rabinovich, who covered the war for The Jerusalem Post, draws on extensive interviews and primary source material to shape his enthralling narrative. We learn of two Egyptian nationals, working separately for the Mossad, who supplied Israel with key information that helped change the course of the war; of Defense Minister Moshe Dayan’s proposal for a nuclear “demonstration” to warn off the Arabs; and of Chief of Staff David Elazar’s con

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ? The first definitive history of Israel?s targeted killing programs, which have shaped the Israeli nation, the Middle East, and the larger world?from the man hailed by David Remnick as ?arguably [Israel?s] best investigative reporter.? ?An exceptional work, a humane book about an incendiary subject . . . full of shocking moments, surprising disturbances in a narrative full of fateful twists and unintended consequences.??The New York Times WINNER OF THE NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD IN HISTORY ? ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times ? A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Economist, The New York Times Book Review, BBC History Magazine, Mother JonesThe Talmud says: ?If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first.? This instinct to take every measure, even the most aggressive, to defend the Jewish people is hardwired into Israel?s DNA. From the very beginning of its statehood in 1948, protecting the nation from harm has been the responsibility of its intelligence community and armed services, and there is one weapon in their vast arsenal that they have relied upon to thwart the most serious threats: Targeted assassinations have been used countless times, on enemies large and small, sometimes in response to attacks against the Israeli people and sometimes preemptively.In this page-turning, eye-opening book, journalist and military analyst Ronen Bergman?praised by David Remnick as?arguably [Israel?s] best investigative reporter??offers a riveting inside account of the targeted killing programs: their successes, their failures, and the moral and political price exacted on the men and women who approved and carried out the missions.Bergman has gained the exceedingly rare cooperation of many current and former members of the Israeli government, including Prime Ministers Shimon Peres, Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, and Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as high-level figures in the country?s military and intelligence services: the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), the Mossad (the world?s most feared intelligence agency), Caesarea (a ?Mossad within the Mossad? that carries out attacks on the highest-value targets), and the Shin Bet (an internal security service that implemented the largest targeted assassination campaign ever, in order to stop what had once appeared to be unstoppable: suicide terrorism).Including never-before-reported, behind-the-curtain accounts of key operations, and based on hundreds of on-the-record interviews and thousands of files to which Bergman has gotten exclusive access over his decades of reporting, Rise and Kill First brings us deep into the heart of Israel?s most secret activities. Bergman traces, from statehood to the present, the gripping events and thorny ethical questions underlying Israel?s targeted killing campaign, which has shaped the Israeli nation, the Middle East, and the larger world.

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Book SynopsisThe first complete translation in any language, retaining the many digressions, difficult passages, and convoluted grammatical discussions of the originalTrade ReviewVan Gelder and Schoeler present one of the most complex and unusual texts in Arabic literature, by al-Ma'arri (d. 1057 AD), maverick, poet and vegetarian. * Banipal Magazine *While casual readers can pick upThe Epistle of Forgivenessand enjoy a few pages of ancient satire and puns, more academic readers of eschatological literature and Arabic linguistics will appreciate the formidable efforts entailed in this translation's . . . present[ation of]a prose by 'one of the great poets in Arabic literary history'to contemporary readers. * Al Jadid *

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Book SynopsisThe author draws on textual readings, archaeological and historical data, and epigraphy to determine what may be known about the Israelite religions during the Iron Age (1200 - 586 BCE). The evidence is synthesized within the structure of an Israelite worldview and ethos.Trade Review'... the most ambitious, the most sophisticated, the most important study of ancient Israelite religions ever undertaken.' Professor William G. Dever, University of Arizona; '... thorough, up-to-date.... No comparable work is as methodologically sophisticated... clearly written, rich with illustration and example.' Professor Bill Propp, University of California at San Diego; 'Zevit's work is learned and suggestive, often brilliant, in its relation both to humanistic studies in general and to detailed phenomena and texts in particular.' The Times Literary Supplement; 'This book is a formidable tour de force, a magnum opus.' Journal of Hebrew ScripturesTable of Contents1. Surveying Paths: An Essay about Humanities, Religion, History, and Israelite Religions; 2. Of Cult Places and of Israelites; 3. Architecture Parlante: Israelite Cult Places; 4. Tangible Belief: The Material and Textual Aspects of Cultic Artefacts; 5. Writ on Rock - Script on Stone; 6. Israelite Religions in Israelian and Judahite Historiography and Historiosophy; 7. Israelite Mantic Religions in Literary, Social, and Historical Contexts; 8. Visions of a Foreign Land: Israelite Religions through Enemy Eyes; 9. The Names of Israelite Gods; 10. Israelite Religions: A Parallactic Synthesis; Appendix: Khirbet Beit Lei: The Main Inscriptions

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