Middle East Politics and International Relations: Crisis Zone

by Shahram Akbarzadeh

The contemporary Middle East has been defined by political crises and conflict. The interplay of internal and external factors have set the region on a path of turmoil and crisis with devastating outcomes for its people. The absence of political accountability and representation, and policies pursued by the United States to keep US-friendly regimes in power have been two key factors that have contributed to the seemingly insoluble Middle East politics. This book provides a detailed exploration of the forces, internal and external, that have shaped today’s Middle East. The book follows a chronological order and provides context to major political milestones. Topics explored • Imperialism in the Middle East • The formation of the State of Israel • The Arab–Israeli wars • Palestinian politics and the failure of the ‘peace process’ • The Iranian Revolution and pan-Shi’ism • Superpowers in the Middle East • The US-led ‘War on Terror’ • The Arab uprisings • The Syrian War and the rise of the ‘Islamic State’ • US–Iran relations This study puts recent developments in historical context, and will serve as a core reference tool for students and researchers of Middle Eastern Politics and International Relations.

238 pages, Hardcover

Published June 5, 2018

Reviews

[Gin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A relatively short book that does an excellent job in conveying the extremely messy and complex situations in the Middle East. Starting from the colonialism of the British and French, and till when the book was published in 2018, the authors were able to do an incredible job and conveying the important milestones marking the tragic periods in the region.

Highly recommended especially for those who are new or have a rudimentary understanding of politics in the Middle East. I came into the book being somewhat familiar with some of the subjects (eg. roles of the superpowers in the region, along with that of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel), and the book helped me by connecting my understanding of these different but very much inter-related issues.