The globalized Middle East in the twenty- fi rst century: three fi nal aspects

I would now like to highlight the main themes that I have tried to expand on. These themes are outside the remit of conventional political and economic histories of the area in the twentieth century, and I have chosen three which I consider useful for the closing remarks of this book as a whole and as indicators of what the future might entail for the area in the present century. They are: the economic globalization of the area, its over-urbanization and its exposure to a new media revolution. All these are briefl y discussed here with relation to the Western image and actual reality of the modern Middle East. In time, all three processes may prove to have equal or even superior power to religion and culture in determining the future of the area.