Books in the Library of Modern Middle East Studies series

A study of Kurdish identity and ethnicity that sets out the historic struggle of the Kurds in Turkey, Iran and Iraq, and shows that even without an independent Kurdish state (Kurdistan) measures of Kurish self-government are possible, based on a broad understanding of what Kurdish nationhood means.

In the 1920s Turkey and Iran faced political upheaval as both states attempted to find their routes to modernity. This study observes this process by examining the measures adopted by the political regimes of the late Ottomans, Ataturk and Reza Shah, as well as by exploring how different social levels contributed to the drive for modernity.

How did Iran's clergy justify their country's devastating eight-year war with Iraq? Seeking to rationalize Iran's war in Islamic theological terms, this study examines Iran's conduct up until the cease-fire and acceptance of Resolution 598 in 1988.

Answers key questions about the connections between media and political change in the Arab world. Using research into, for example, practices of Internet users, journalists, demonstrators and producers of reality TV, this book explores the interface between public interaction over the airwaves, at the polls and on the streets.

This multi-layered account of the nature and causes of the Palestinian water crisis uses particular aspects of the Israeli-Palestine water conflict to illustrate both the broader nature of Israeli-Palestinian relations and factors that the existing water literature underplays or simply gets wrong.

How did the Ayatollah Khomeini create his Islamic state? What were the ideas which drove him and his movement? What organization and methods helped bring him to power? This book analyses the ideaological roots of an Islamic state as conceived by the Ayatollah Khomeini.

Since the intervention of the IMF in 1989, the boundaries between the private and public sectors of the Jordanian economy have become blurred. This, the author argues, has significantly reduced the competitiveness of Jordanian firms, and therefore the standing of the country in worldwide economic terms.

The author argues in this text that the reform and liberalisation of Egypt's economy has been partial and selective, far from beneficial to all Egyptians. While the encouragement of the private sector has indeed benefited some, it has failed to improve the standard of living of others.

Leading to the overthrow of the Qajar regime and replacement by Reza Shah, World War I was pivotal in the history of modern Iran. This book tells the story of modern Iran's formation and explores the key role that World War I played in it.

Is today's changing media landscape in the Middle East empowering women? This is the first book to address the dynamics of media ecology and women's advancement in the contemporary Middle East.

The television industry has metamorphosised from a national and largely-monopolized sector to a commercial and global enterprise. This title shows that making the documentary on the Arab-Israeli struggle turned into a war: a war over competing memories, interpretation, editing, and finally narration.

When Basher al-Asad became President of Syria in June 2000, he had a tough act to follow. A quiet, unassuming opthalmologist, trained in Britain, young Asad was successor to his dynamic, wily father Hafiz. This work is about Basher al-Asad. It assesses the durability of Hafiz's legacy, including the influence of the old power-brokers.

Examines Hollywood as the dominant Western interpreter of the Arab World and also views the Arab world in terms of how it perceives itself and others through its films. This book covers films made in the USA, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, showing how they represent major political issues in the Middle East.

Seeks to understand how the 'Other' is viewed in Arab culture, and vice versa. This work examines how Turks, Europeans, Christians and Iranians have been represented in the arts, opinions and cultures of the Arab world. Conversely, it also explores the intellectual representation of 'The Arab' in other cultures.

Explores the connection between identity and power in Iraq's history, and provides a context for understanding complicated struggles. Drawing on a mixture of 'high' and popular forms of expression, this book identifies the tropes of Iraqi culture, such as symbols of redemptive suffering amongst the Shi'ites, or courage amongst the Bedouins.

In an atmosphere of growing concern over the threat posed by Islamist violence, political Islamism has become the most important of geopolitical issues. This book talks about the phenomenon of political Islam, determined by macro and micro-level changes in the Muslim world, and the socio-economic and political settings.

In 1994, Jordan and Israel signed a peace agreement to create peace between their countries. The treaty itself remains intact, but relations between the two states, at the societal level, have not fulfilled expectations. Focusing on the Jordanian perspective, this title examines the challenges involved to create 'good neighbourly relations'.

The role of Islam in the state has become one of the most contentious issues in modern Middle Eastern society. It holds a central position in every public debate over constitution, law and civil rights, as well as over the very essence of cultural identity. Here Meir Hatina sheds light on the issue of Islam in the state through the prism of Egypt during the twentieth century. He traces the continuity of Egyptian liberalism, from its emergence during the first half of the century through its repression following the July 1952 revolution, to the rise of secular liberalists such as Faraj Fuda in post-revolutionary Egypt. ''Identity Politics'' reveals the assertive nature of the Islamic struggle, the desire to remake the state by fostering a close affinity between faith and power, worship and politics, which holds contemporary resonance for all Middle Eastern states.

The Palestinian refugee issue remains a central component of the Arab-Israeli conflict. This book explores the demographic and developmental challenges which the return of refugees to a future Palestinian state would generate.