ABSTRACT

Aimed at undergraduate-level courses, this brand-new textbook provides an overview of Middle Eastern politics, offering in-depth examination of the forces of stability, change, uncertainty, and progress in the region.

Building on both historical and contemporary analysis, the chapters are timely, engaging, and provocative, covering topics such as:

  • Turmoil and transition in Middle Eastern politics
  • The Arab-Israeli conflict
  • The Persian Gulf and global security
  • The rise of the internet
  • Terrorism and the Islamic State
  • US-Iran relations
  • The role of new regional players, such as China, India, and Russia
  • Increasing investment in wind and solar energy in the post-carbon era.

Providing a unique perspective on the major themes and current state of knowledge about the region, this new textbook will be invaluable to students of Middle Eastern politics.

part I|116 pages

Historical and contemporary contexts

chapter 2|32 pages

A modern history of the Middle East

chapter 3|33 pages

The Arab–Israeli conflicts

Causes and consequences

chapter 4|27 pages

Nationalists vs. Islamists

The struggle for power

chapter 5|24 pages

The Persian Gulf and global security

part II|184 pages

Changing dynamics and evolving challenges

chapter 6|30 pages

Beyond the Arab Spring uprisings

Democratic rollback?

chapter 7|24 pages

The Internet

A double-edged sword

chapter 9|27 pages

New security issues

Food, water, and labor emigration

chapter 10|23 pages

The changing geopolitics of oil

chapter 11|27 pages

US–Iran relations

The key to stability

chapter 12|26 pages

New regional players

China, India, and Russia

part III|28 pages

Prospects for the future

chapter 13|28 pages

New paradigms and trends