Eleven chapters, presented by Kamrava (director of the Center for International and Regional Studies at Georgetown U.'s School of Foreign Service in Qatar), explore the reasons for changing internatio
In Iran, since the mid-nineteenth century, one issue has been a common concern: how should Iran become modern? More than a century of struggle for or against modernity has constituted much of the soci
Ringer (history and Asian languages and civilizations, Amherst College) explores how Western definitions of modernity and modern religion were variously interpreted, accepted, rejected, and modified b
A critical overview for both introductory and advanced students of Middle-East history is comprised of essays that cover such topics as Islam's ties to urban institutions and the relationship between
Hoffman (religion and South Asian and Middle Eastern studies, U. of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign) examines a distinct sect of Islam that is neither Sunni nor Shi'ite and remains largely a mystery both to
Becoming Turkish deepens our understanding of the modernist nation-building processes in post—Ottoman Turkey through a rare perspective that stresses social and cultural dimensions and everyday negoti
Drawing on party election manifestos and campaign speeches, election data, and information on patron-client relations, the selection of candidates, media technologies, and local governance records, th
As Syria’s anti-authoritarian uprising and subsequent civil war have left the country in ruins, the need for understanding the nation’s complex political and cultural realities remains urgent. The sec
The book cites that conflicted Syria--from spring uprising to civil war--has suffered from ill-informed and confusing news coverage and has revealed the dearth of expert writing on the country, making
When Bashar al-Asad smoothly assumed power in July 2000, just seven days after the death of his father, observers were divided on what this would mean for the country’s foreign and domestic politics.
In October 1875, two months after the takeover of the Somali coastal town of Zeila, an Egyptian force numbering 1,200 soldiers departed from the city to occupy Harar, a prominent Muslim hub i
In October 1875, two months after the takeover of the Somali coastal town of Zeila, an Egyptian force numbering 1,200 soldiers departed from the city to occupy Harar, a prominent Muslim hub i
Mohammad Mosaddeq is widely regarded as the leading champion of secular democracy and resistance to foreign domination in Iran's modern history. Mosaddeq became prime minister of Iran in
One of the most prominent Sunni clerics in the Muslim world today, Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi influences the discourse around matters central to the Islamic faith and to Islam’s relationship with Wester
One of the most prominent Sunni clerics in the Muslim world today, Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi influences the discourse around matters central to the Islamic faith and to Islam’s relationship with Wester
