Politics of the Middle East Cultures and Conflicts

by Roskin, Michael G.; Coyle, James J.

• ISBN13: 9780131594241
• ISBN10: 0131594249
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-05-24
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

An introduction to the Middle East, provides an overview of the history, geography, cultures, and religions and leads up the regions twenty-first century conflicts, including the Iraq War. With its emphasis on basic concepts and vocabulary, and it use of illustrative case studies,Politics of the Middle Eastprovides an exciting tool for the basic understanding of this very complex region.This comprehensive book covers cultures and history of the ancients, the birth of Islam, and the Ottoman Empire; Arab-Israeli conflicts and their origins; Turkey and the Kurds; the Persian Gulf and the rise of the oil kingdoms, the Iranian revolution, and the first and second Gulf Wars; and Middle Eastern terrorism.An excellent reference resource for those involved in businesses and concerns that deal with the Middle East and its politics.

Table of Contents

Cultures	p. 1
Civilization and Its Cradle	p. 1
The Lay of the Land	p. 5
The Importance of the Spoken Word	p. 8
Shared Cultural Characteristics	p. 9
The Ancients and Their Conflicts	p. 13
The European Empires	p. 17
Conclusions	p. 20
Key Terms	p. 20
Further Reference	p. 21
The Birth of Islam	p. 22
Muhammad	p. 22
Muhammads Role	p. 26
Birth of Shiism	p. 27
The Choice of the Caliphs	p. 28
The Umayyads	p. 30
ROSKMF00_0131594249.QXP 4/26/07 11:35 AM Page iii iv Contents The Abbasids	p. 32
The Abbasid Caliphate	p. 32
Challenges to Orthodoxy	p. 34
The End of the Arab Empire	p. 35
The Fatimids	p. 35
The Mamluks	p. 35
Iranian Dynasties	p. 38
Conclusions	p. 39
Key Terms	p. 40
Further Reference	p. 40
The Ottoman Empire	p. 42
The Ottomans	p. 42
The Janissaries	p. 45
The Reign of Sulayman	p. 46
Ottoman Succession	p. 47
Economic Decline	p. 48
The Sick Man of Europe	p. 49
Military Reform	p. 49
The Tanzimat	p. 51
The Committee of Union and Progress	p. 52
World War I	p. 54
Conclusions	p. 55
Key Terms	p. 56
Further Reference	p. 56
ARAB-ISRAELI Conflicts	p. 57
Origins of the ISRAEL-Palestine War	p. 57
Kingdoms and Conquests	p. 58
The Long Diaspora	p. 62
The Rise of Modern Zionism	p. 64
ROSKMF00_0131594249.QXP 4/26/07 11:35 AM Page iv Contents v The Rise of Arab Nationalism	p. 67
The Impact of World War I	p. 68
The Mandate	p. 69
The First Arab-Jewish Clashes	p. 71
Conclusions	p. 76
Key Terms	p. 77
Further Reference	p. 77
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.