American Studies A Users Guide

"Kamrava provides an in-depth analysis of not just political history but also a variety of other issues that have plagued this part of the world for so many years and continue to remain unresolved for years to come."and#151;Mahmood Monshipouri, author of Islamism, Secularism, and Human Rights in the Middle East

"This is an ambitious, stimulating book that synthesizes a broad range of literature on Middle East history and politics. The author analyzes many important issues in the region, emphasizing the challenges countries face in overcoming historical legacies, developing accountable leadership, recovering from conflict, and developing productive economies."and#151;Bradford Dillman, author of State and Private Sector in Algeria: The Politics of Rent-Seeking and Failed Development

"At a time when sensational books on the Middle East fill the market, this is a serious and sober contribution that will help the students and lay people alike. The author approaches the highly charged emotional issues of the Middle East with sensitivity and objectivity. Kamrava should be commended for a very useful and highly needed book."and#151;Asad AbuKhalil, author of The Battle for Saudi Arabia: Royalty, Fundamentalism, and Global Power

"Professor Kamrava has written a very well-researched, accessible and up to date book. His themes are well chosen; his analysis is cogent and lucid. It is a welcome addition to the literature on Middle East politics"and#151;Manochehr Dorraj, author of Middle East at the Crossroads

"Kamrava's political history of the modern Middle East enjoys that rare combination of insightful analysis and accessibility for the general reader. I recommend it."and#151;Glenn Robinson, author of Building a Palestinian State: The Incomplete Revolution

and#8220;Recommended.and#8221;

American Studies has long been a home for adventurous students seeking to understand the culture and politics of the United States. Despite being taught in universities around the world, American Studies has resisted developing a coherent methodology for fear of losing the flexibility and freedom to imagine new avenues of thought. But what if these fears are misplaced? Through a fresh look at the origins of the field, this book contends that a shared set of -rules- can offer a springboard to creativity. American Studies: A User's Guide offers readers a critical introduction to the history and methods of the field, useful strategies for interpretation, curation, analysis, and theory, and case studies of American Studies in practice.

American Studies has long been a home for adventurous students seeking to understand the culture and politics of the United States. This welcoming spirit has found appeal around the world, but at the heart of the field is an identity crisis. Nearly every effort to articulate an American Studies methodology has been rejected for fear of losing intellectual flexibility and freedom. But what if these fears are misplaced? Providing a fresh look at American Studies in practice, this book contends that a shared set of "rules" can offer a springboard to creativity. American Studies: A User's Guide offers readers a critical introduction to the history and methods of the field as well as useful strategies for interpretation, curation, analysis, and theory.

From the fall of the Ottoman Empire through the Arab Spring, this completely revised and updated edition of Mehran Kamravaand#8217;s classic treatise on the making of the contemporary Middle East remains essential reading for students and general readers who want to gain a better understanding of this diverse region.

Since it was first published in 2006, this concise overview of the making of the contemporary Middle East has become essential reading for students and general readers who want to gain a better understanding of this diverse region. Writing for a wide audience, Mehran Kamrava takes us from fall of the Ottoman Empire to today, exploring along the way such central issues as the dynamics of economic development, authoritarian endurance, and the Israel-Palestinian conflict. For this new, thoroughly revised edition, he has brought the book fully up to date by incorporating events and issues of the past few years. The Modern Middle East now includes information about the June 2009 Iranian presidential elections and their aftermath, changes precipitated so far by the Obama administration, Israeland#8217;s attack on Gaza in 2008, the effects of globalization on economic development, and more.

Mehran Kamrava is Professor and Director of the Center for International and Regional Studies at Georgetown Universityand#8217;s School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He is the author of a number of books, including, most recently, Iranand#8217;s Intellectual Revolution and Qatar: Small State, Big Politics. His edited books include The International Politics of the Persian Gulf, Innovation in Islam: Traditions and Contributions, The Political Economy of the Persian Gulf and The Nuclear Question in the Middle East.

List of Illustrations

List of Tables and List of Maps

Acknowledgments to the First Edition

Acknowledgments to the Second Edition

Acknowledgments to the Third Edition

Introduction

Part I. A Political History of the Middle East

1. From Islam to the Great War

2. From Territories to Independent States

3. The Age of Nationalism

4. The Arab-Israeli Wars

5. The Iranian Revolution

6. The Gulf Wars and Beyond

Part II. Issues in Middle Eastern Politics

7. States and Their Opponents

8. Repression and Rebellion

9. The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

10. The Challenge of Economic Development

11. Challenges Facing the Middle East

Notes

Bibliography

Index