Interpreting the Middle East

"Contemporary approaches to comparative studies of the Middle East increasingly recognize how globalization and regional mass communication have blurred differences across countries. Populations travel across national borders and compare narratives about political change, economic futures, and the role of the outside world in shaping their lives. Organized by five principal themes of a regional overview, politics, political economy, social contexts, and the international dimensions of Middle East issues, Interpreting the Middle East provides a vibrant introduction to the Middle East that is compatible with this regionalist perspective. Invited authorities contribute insightful and accessible original discussions of headline-fresh issues, including the aftermath of the Iraq war, Iran's regional ambitions, developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the global politics of Middle East oil, as well as the Islamic awakening, conflict in the Western Sahara, civil-military relations, economic development, political change, and gender understandings. Section introductions by the editor integrate the contributions, and a glossary, biographical list of key persons, and chronology of significant events provide helpful guidance for readers."--Back cover.