International Relations In The Middle East

Covering a century of Middle Eastern international relations, this book develops an original approach to understanding regional conflict and cooperation.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of Middle East international politics in the light of international relations theory. It assesses the impact of international penetration, including the historic formation of the regional state system, the continued role of external great powers, and the incorporation of the region into the international capitalist market. It examines the region’s distinctive dialect between trans-state identities, Arabism and Islam, and the consolidation of a sovereign state system. It looks at the consequences of state formation for the ability of state elites to manage the external and domestic arenas in which they must operate; and it analyzes the impact of the foreign policy process in individual states.

Leading scholars of Middle East politics and international relations present comprehensive coverage of the international politics of the Middle East, a region at the forefront of international attention.

Now in its second edition, this popular title has been fully revised and updated, with two new chapters on the nature of Islam and the war in Iraq.

This handbook examines the regional and international dynamics of the Middle East. It challenges the state society dichotomy to make sense of decision-making and behavior by ruling regimes. The 33 chapter authors include the world’s leading scholars of the Middle East and International Relations (IR) in order to make sense of the region. This synthesis of area studies expertise and IR theory provides a unique and rigorous account of the region’s current dynamics, which have reached a crisis point since the beginning of the Arab Spring. The Middle East has been characterized by volatility for more than a century. Although the region attracts significant scholarly interest, IR theory has rarely been used as a tool to understand events. The constructivist approach in IR highlights the significance of state identity, shaped by history and culture, in making sense of international relations. The authors of this volume consider how IR theory can elucidate the patterns and principles that shape the region, in order to provide a rigorous account of the contemporary challenges of the Middle East. The Routledge Handbook of International Relations in the Middle East provides comprehensive coverage of International Relations issues in the region. Thus, it offers key resources for researchers and students interested in International Relations and the Middle East.

This interdisciplinary resource brings together important works from the fields of international relations theory and Middle East studies - it promotes a stronger dialogue and cross-fertilisation between the two areas of study. The work’s esteemed editorial team has structured the volumes thematically, to allow for ease of navigation and clear understanding of the different key aspects: Volume One addresses the more fundamental and (meta)theoretical issues relating to the debate about the study of Middle East international relations Volume Two looks at the history of the field, addressing the debate about the emergence and evolution of the modern Middle East state system. Volume Three examines more recent debates, and primarily the issue about the role of identity politics in international relations. Volume Four engages with more classic and well-known issues from the general IR debate and explores to what extent assumptions and approaches from these debates are also useful in the study of Middle East international relations. The articles are framed by an introductory essay written by the editors, which helps to guide the reader through the volumes by providing further context and explaining the rationale behind the selection of literature.

The international relations of the Middle East have long been dominated by uncertainty and conflict. External intervention, interstate war, political upheaval and interethnic violence are compounded by the vagaries of oil prices and the claims of military, nationalist and religious movements. The purpose of this book is to set this region and its conflicts in context, providing on the one hand a historical introduction to its character and problems, and on the other a reasoned analysis of its politics. In an engagement with both the study of the Middle East and the theoretical analysis of international relations, the author, who is one of the best known and most authoritative scholars writing on the region today, offers a compelling and original interpretation. Written in a clear, accessible and interactive style, the book is designed for students, policymakers, and the general reader.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of Middle East international politics in the light of recent developments in international relations theory.