Turmoil in the Middle East

Imperialism, War, and Political Instability

Berch Berberoglu

For centuries, the Middle East has been the focal point of imperialist rivalry, war and political turmoil.  The cycles of imperialist incursions into the region have turned this historic corner of the world into a zone of bloodshed, death, and destruction.   Inter-imperialist rivalries have transformed the Middle East into a contested terrain of competing forces vying for control of the territory, culture, and people of this region over the course of the twentieth century.

This book examines the dynamics of social forces behind the political turmoil that has engulfed the contemporary Middle East and turned it into a region of permanent instability.  The book highlights the centrality of the relationship between imperialism, war, and political turmoil in the Middle East with particular reference to an analysis of the class nature of the state, the social forces involved in nationalist movements, and the organizational context in which these forces are politically mobilized to effect change.

The critical approach adopted in this book to examine some of the central questions on the social history and politics of this vital region of the world, promises to make an important contribution to the expanding literature in contemporary Middle Eastern studies.

 Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. The Impact of Western Imperialism on the Middle East

2. Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict and Political Turmoil in the Middle East in the Early 20th Century

3. Imperialism and the Resurgence of Nationalism in the Middle East:  Turkey and Egypt

 

4. Imperialism and the Resurgence of Nationalism in the Middle East:  Syria and Iraq

5. The National Question in the Middle East:  The Palestinian and Kurdish Struggles for National Self-Determination

6. The Arab-Israeli Conflict:  War and Political Turmoil in the Middle East

7. The Gulf War:  Interimperialist Rivalry for Control of Oil in the Middle East

8. Conclusion:  The Post-Cold War "New World Order" and the Prospects for Peace in the Middle East

Notes

Bibliography

Index

To read the "Introduction" to this book, click here [pdf file]

Publication date: 1999

ISBN:  0-7914-4412-0 (paper)

0-7914-4411-2 (cloth)

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