Synopses & Reviews
Now in its sixth edition, The Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa continues to provide with authoritative and comprehensive overviews of the history, politics, foreign policies, and critical contemporary events and issues of each country in the Middle East and North Africa. Thoroughly revised and updated throughout, with chapters written specifically for this volume by invited specialists, this edition offers vital new considerations of the protests that followed President Ahmadinejads 2009 reelection; the political dynamics and foreign policy of postwar Iraq; Israels post-Sharon politics and policies; the fragmentation of Palestinian representation between Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank; Syrias emergence from US-led international isolation; Turkeys evolving relations with the United States, Russia, and the European Union, and its ongoing confrontation with the Kurdish question”; and the paralysis and crisis of the Lebanese government. Facilitating cross-national comparison and contrast, the chapters address in common the topics of historical background, political structures and institutions, political dynamics, social and economic conditions, and foreign and national security policies. In addition, revised data tables for each country provide ready summaries of the ethnic groups, religious affiliations, major political parties, and leading import/export partners in each country. Each chapter concludes with an annotated bibliography as a guide to further reading. Seventeen new maps specially drawn for this edition represent each of the countries.
Review
No doubt this is the best and most comprehensive textbook on the Middle East in the English language.” Raymond Habiby, Oklahoma State University
The best of the general, state-by-state studies of the Arab world, Israel, Turkey, and Iran. The country chapters are a good starting point for comparison.
An excellent anchor for a comparative course on the region.” Martin W. Sampson, University of Minnesota
Review
“Provides both a wealth of detail on the individual countries of the region and acute insights into such common elements as political institutionalization, and social and class structure. Comprehensive in scope and clear in style." —James Piscatori, Oxford University
“The coverage is broad and systematic. The individual treatments are always lucid and well informed. … The authors have succeeded in highlighting those facts of long histories which are most relevant to those who are present- and policy-oriented. The book as a whole is an excellent summing up of the politics of the Middle East … one which serves as an introduction to the beginner and as a reference and point of departure for the specialist.” —Middle East Journal “No doubt this is the best and most comprehensive textbook on the Middle East in the English language.” — Raymond Habiby, Oklahoma State University
“The best of the general, state-by-state studies of the Arab world, Israel, Turkey, and Iran. The country chapters are a good starting point for comparison.… An excellent anchor for a comparative course on the region.” —Martin W. Sampson, University of Minnesota “The editors have recruited expert academic scholars who provide lucidly written essays that will appeal to a wide range of readers—from laypeople to Middle East specialists. Highly recommended.” –Choice
Synopsis
Invited authorities provide updated, comprehensive, country-by-country overviews of critical contemporary events and issues in the Middle East and North Africa
Synopsis
The Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa continues to provide comprehensive, up-to-date coverage of the regions critical contemporary events and issues. Invited specialists contribute authoritative overviews of the government and politics of each country in the Middle East and North Africa. As in previous editions, country chapters are systematically organized to address historical background, social and economic conditions, politics, and foreign policy, and each chapter features an updated data table for easy compare and contrast.
The sixth edition has been revised throughout to reflect recent substantial changes in the Middle East and includes seventeen new maps and a new introductory chapter on the region. In addition, the authors provide vital new considerations of major developments, including Irans nuclear policies; political dynamics in postwar Iraq; Israels post-Sharon politics; the fragmentation of Palestinian representation between Hamas inGaza and Fatah in the West Bank; as well as recent developments in Syria, Turkey, and Lebanon
About the Author
David E. Long is a consultant on the Middle East and counterterrorism. He is retired from the US Foreign Service and has taught and lectured extensively on Middle Eastern subjects. He is the author of The United States and Saudi Arabia: Ambivalent Allies and The Anatomy of Terrorism.
Bernard Reich is professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University. He is a member of the board of advisory editors of the Middle East Journal and a member of the international editorial board of Israel Affairs. He has published widely on the Middle East and international politics and on US foreign policy. His numerous books include A Brief History of Israel, Arab-Israeli Conflict and Conciliation, and Political Dictionary of Israel.
Mark Gasiorowski is professor of political science at Louisiana State University. He specializes in the Middle East and third-world politics. His notable publications include US Foreign Policy and the Shah: Building a Client State in Iran and (with Malcolm Byrne) Mohammad Mosaddeq and the 1953 Coup in Iran.