This long-time best-seller uses a thematic, rather than country-by-country, approach to the region in an analysis that is at once comprehensive and, at the same time, does not underestimate the intelligence of the college audience. The authors wrote this book because there were no introductory texts taking a holistic perspective on the region. This book employs a multidisciplinary approach (political science, economics, history, anthropology) to explain the current political dynamics of the region. It avoids a country-by-country approach in favor of a thematic approach that integrates regional experiences into a whole. Major themes include political development, economic development, international relations, Islam - mainstream and jihadist, colonialism and post-colonialism; and recent political changes, with particular emphasis on the U.S. intervention in Iraq and the rising interest in democracy regionally.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
interesting:
This book is for a class I have, but it is not boring to read like some text books can be.
gives historical perspective:
[A review of the 8th Edition, published in 2006.] In this somewhat short text, the authors explain the turbulent history of the Middle East. Key ideas like a secular pan-Arabism, militant Islam and globalisation are invoked, as necessary to understanding the current region. We see how pan-Arabism gave rise to the Baathist regimes in Syria and Iraq. Though for the latter, at least till the American invasion of 2003. Globalisation is a major cause of outside forces, like secular consumerist societies of... more info
A decent introductory text:
This book, along with it's companion, THE MIDDLE EAST by the Congressional Quarterly, was used in my undergraduate course on the History and Governments of the Middle East. Politics and Change views the Middle East from a variety of perspectives: sociological, anthropological, political, historical and religious. It looks at the bases for diversity & unity in the region and the rise of Islam. It then discusses the formation of the early Islamic state and the development of the Sharia (religious... more info
Good source for understanding Middle East:
I read this book as a required text for my Middle East Politics class which was taught by one of the authors, Prof. Seibert. I think it gives an accurate walkthrough to the history of Middle East Politics. It stays clear of any bias while trying to examine and integrate economic, social and political factors together. I enjoyed reading and discussing this work immensely. I would strongly recommend it.
