Books by Richard Bulliet

Bulliet abandons the historian's habit of viewing Islamic history "from the center," that is, focusing on the rise and fall of imperial dynasties. Instead, he derives an understanding of how and why Islam became -- and continues to be -- so rooted in the social structure of the vast majority of people who lived far from the political locus and did not see the caliphate as essential in their lives.

Why, for many centuries, was the wheel abandoned in the Middle East in favor of the camel as a means of transport? This richly illustrated study explains this anomaly. Drawing on archaeology, art, technology, anthropology, linguistics, and camel husbandry, Bulliet explores the implications for the region's economic and social development during the Middle Ages and into modern times.

Looks beneath the rhetoric of hatred and misunderstanding to challenge the views of Islamic history. This book argues that beginning in the 1950's American policymakers misread the Muslim world and, instead of focusing on the discontent against the government, saw only a forum for liberal, democratic reforms within those governments.