This work provides a penetrating analysis of modern Middle Eastern history, from the Ottoman and Egyptian reforms, through the challenge of Western imperialism, to the impact of US foreign policies. After introducing the reader to the region's history from the origins of Islam in the seventh century, this text focuses on the past two centuries of profound and often dramatic change.

An overview of the history, religion, political economy, and politics of the Middle East, with individual chapters devoted to each of the countries in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf, Eastern Mediterranean, and North Africa.

This volume provides a comprehensive survey of the contemporary study of Islamic law and a critical analysis of its deficiencies. It offers an innovative historiographical examination of the field of Islamic law and an idealintroduction to key personalities and concepts. Each chapter presents bold new avenues for research and will help readers appreciate the contested nature of key concepts and topics in Islamic law.

The chapters in the book present a critical account of political Islam, including theoretical foundations; historical background; geographical spread; political strategies; terrorism; attitudes towards democracy; relations between Muslins and the West in the international sphere; challenges of integration; gender relations; and more.

The World Almanac of Islamism is the first comprehensive reference work to detail the global reach of Islamism across six continents. Each country study, written by leading subject-matter experts, examines the full scope of the Islamist phenomenon, from the activities of radical Islamist groups to the role of Islamist actors and ideas in society to the response--or complicity--of the local government.