Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (Understanding (Boulder, Colo.).)

Rating:
Summary: New edition: Please update your information.
Review: 1. The first edition had only one editor: Deborah Gerner 2. The second edition of this book, coedited by Gerner and Jillian Schwedler, was just published with a 2004 copyright.

Rating:
Summary: Presents complex reality in layman's terms
Review: Now in its second edition, Understanding the Contemporary Middle East is an anthlogy of essays by learned authors offering introductions to help lay readers and scholars better comprehend the history, geography, politcs, and culture of Middle Eastern societies. From the historical and modern-day role of religion in Middle Eastern society, to the role of women, the structure of politics, and the often violent history of armed conflict within the region, Understanding the Contemporary Middle East presents complex reality in layman's terms. A "must-read" primer for any beginning student of Middle East society, and a vital resource for anyone striving to better understand the setting and driving forces behind world news headlines.



Rating:
Summary: New edition: Please update your information.
Review: Understanding the Contemporary Middle East is an edited collection of essays that succeeds where so many others have failed. Rather than being merely a random sampling of contemporary articles on the Middle East, each essay is linked together into a coordinated whole. Geography, history, economics, internal politics, international relations, urbanization, ethnicity, women's roles, literature, and a host of other topics find their way into the book's 13 chapters. However, the authors have obviously made an attempt to integrate the extremely diverse subject areas of their individuals essays. This adds a value to the whole which is far greater than that of its separate components. The quality of the individual essays is quite good. As with any collection, some are stronger than others but the integration of the whole makes even the weakest of chapters valuable in its contribution to the overall picture of the modern Middle East. The diversity of the subject matter is matched by the diversity of the contributing authors. In addition to such well-known names as John L. Esposito, Arthur Godschmidt Jr., and Laurie King-Irani, the editor has gone out of her way to include individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines thus presenting a level of diversification of viewpoints which is remarkably unique to this text. While an excellent introduction to the Middle East, appropriate for anyone with an interest in the region, UCME is highly suitable for undergraduate studies. Additionally, the bibliographies of the individual essays are broad enough to provide a starting point for more in-depth analysis of subject areas of particular interest to more advanced students. As such it makes a valuable resource not only for the teaching of Middle Eastern studies but also as a reference tool for students and other individuals who might share a fascination for this oftentimes bewildering region of the world.

Rating:
Summary: Understanding the Contemporary Middle East
Review: Understanding the Contemporary Middle East is an edited collection of essays that succeeds where so many others have failed. Rather than being merely a random sampling of contemporary articles on the Middle East, each essay is linked together into a coordinated whole. Geography, history, economics, internal politics, international relations, urbanization, ethnicity, women's roles, literature, and a host of other topics find their way into the book's 13 chapters. However, the authors have obviously made an attempt to integrate the extremely diverse subject areas of their individuals essays. This adds a value to the whole which is far greater than that of its separate components. The quality of the individual essays is quite good. As with any collection, some are stronger than others but the integration of the whole makes even the weakest of chapters valuable in its contribution to the overall picture of the modern Middle East. The diversity of the subject matter is matched by the diversity of the contributing authors. In addition to such well-known names as John L. Esposito, Arthur Godschmidt Jr., and Laurie King-Irani, the editor has gone out of her way to include individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines thus presenting a level of diversification of viewpoints which is remarkably unique to this text. While an excellent introduction to the Middle East, appropriate for anyone with an interest in the region, UCME is highly suitable for undergraduate studies. Additionally, the bibliographies of the individual essays are broad enough to provide a starting point for more in-depth analysis of subject areas of particular interest to more advanced students. As such it makes a valuable resource not only for the teaching of Middle Eastern studies but also as a reference tool for students and other individuals who might share a fascination for this oftentimes bewildering region of the world.