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Contemporary Politics in the Middle East, 4th Edition

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ISBN: 978-1-509-52086-2

January 2018

Polity

388 pages

Description
The fourth edition of this dynamic and popular text provides a comprehensive introduction to contemporary politics in the Middle East. Fully revised and updated throughout, it features a new chapter on the Arab Spring and its aftermath, plus a wide range of vibrant case studies, data, questions for class discussion and suggestions for further reading. 

Purposefully employing a clear thematic structure, the book begins by introducing key concepts and contentious debates before outlining the impact of colonialism, and the rise and relevance of Arab nationalism in the region. Major political issues affecting the Middle East are then explored in full. These include political economy, conflict, political Islam, gender, the regional democracy deficit, and ethnicity and minorities. The book also examines the role of key foreign actors, such as the USA, Russia and the EU, and concludes with an in-depth analysis of the Arab uprisings and their impact in an era of uncertainty.
About the Author
Beverley Milton-Edwards is Professor of Politics at Queen’s University Belfast and Senior Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Doha Center.
New to Edition

· CPME 4th edition has a new chapter dedicated to the Arab Spring and its aftermath in an era of uncertainty, including case studies on: Libya, Yemen and Egypt
· CPME 4th edition offers three cases studies in every chapter, including new case studies on: ISIS, the Yazidi minority, Tunisia and democracy, Russia and its role in the Syrian conflict, Saudi Arabia and the 2030 economic reform process, and the Kurdish nationalist movement.
· Updated and new Recommended Reading Sections

Chapter on the US and the rest has a new section on Russia and the Middle East as well as a new case study on Russia and the Middle East.
There is a third case study in the chapter on nationalism. Additionally some new cases studies have been introduced in other chapters to replace outdated material. For example, in the chapter on Political Economy the case study on Kuwait has been replaced with one on Saudi Arabia economic reform for 2030 Plan. Furthermore the case study on Globalization re-focuses on labour mobility in the MENA region.
Every table and infographic has been updated where possible.