Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
  1. Home
  2. Browse subjects
  3. Area Studies
  4. Middle East studies
  5. Content listing

Refine search

Refine search

Access:
Content type:
Publication date:
Apply   From and To filters
Subject: Show more
Journals Show more
Publishers: Show more
Societies Show more
Series: Show more
Collections: Show more

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

47994 results in Middle East studies

Page 1 of 2400

Salafism in Tunisia
  • Political Engagement and the Advent of Post-Salafism
  • Théo Blanc
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    November 2026
    Print publication:
    30 November 2026

International Relations of the Middle East
  • Theories and Case Studies
  • Edited by May Darwich, Adham Saouli
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    November 2026
    Print publication:
    30 November 2026

From First Farmers to First Cities in Western Asia and Europe
  • The Long Revolution
  • Amy Bogaard
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    November 2026
    Print publication:
    30 November 2026
  • The relationship between farming and the emergence cities is a key question in the archaeology of western Asia and Europe.  In this study, Amy Bogaard explores how the earliest villages and cities were sustained through evolving agricultural strategies. Deploying the latest methods and evidence, she offers new approaches for predicting how settlement scale and density shaped agricultural practices, and for reconstructing farming methods as they evolved alongside urbanisation. Bogaard demonstrates how Neolithic farming took off with the integration of small-scale cultivation and herding, held together by the work and ownership claims of households. Urbanisation challenged resilient Neolithic farming practices, as early cities co-evolved with the expansion of low-input cereal monocultures.  Nevertheless, diverse Neolithic farming traditions persisted in these urban landscapes, creating richer agroecologies and more sustainable cities. Bogaard's study offers exciting insights into how farming and cities emerged in the deep past, along with the theory, toolkit, and data necessary for building knowledge of ancient farming, and for reflecting on farming futures.

Reassembling Knowledge
  • Science, Medicine, and Philosophy in Sasanian and Early Islamic Iraq and Iran
  • Thomas Benfey
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    October 2026
    Print publication:
    31 October 2026
  • The scholars of the Sasanian empire-the late antique superpower whose extensive territories encompassed much of Mesopotamia, the Iranian plateau, and the Caucasus-played a pivotal role in world intellectual history. They developed a distinctive synthesis of Indian and Greco-Roman learning, which would have a formative impact on Islamic civilization in the wake of the empire's fall to Arab armies in the 7th century CE. Drawing on a wide range of texts in languages including Arabic, Middle Persian, Syriac, Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit, Thomas Benfey closely examines these scholars, their contributions, and the shifting contexts in which they lived and worked. From the court of the sixth-century King of Kings Khusrō I to early Abbasid Baghdad, this book explores key developments in philosophy, medicine, and astral science and the institutional and historical contexts in which they took place. Benfey highlights the distinctive features of this decisive era, tracing intellectual continuity and change into the early Islamic period.

The Cambridge Introduction to Sumerian
  • Martin Worthington, Mark K. Chetwood
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    September 2026
    Print publication:
    30 September 2026
  • Older than the pyramids, Sumerian was used in ancient Mesopotamia (Southern Iraq). It is probably the world's first written language, and survives on clay tablets in the cuneiform script, dating from c.3000 BCE to the beginning of the Common Era. It abounds in simple inscriptions, ideal for beginners, but also boasts a wealth of more advanced writings, such as fascinating mythological poetry. This comprehensive textbook equips students to read the full range of texts – including the special variety of the language known as Emesal. Drawing on the authors' experience in the classroom, it uses intuitive terminology and also makes extensive use of diagrams, which unravel the language's structures in an easy-to-learn way. The examples and readings are all taken from original sources. The learning journey is further supported by exercises (with key), a full sign list and glossary, and online recordings with 'approximate pronunciations'.

Insurgent Witness
  • Archetypes of Action in Revolutionary Iran
  • Arash Davari
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    September 2026
    Print publication:
    30 September 2026
  • How do we describe the collective identity of people who make a popular revolution? Notwithstanding marked differences, most accounts understand revolutionary collectives as partisan and relegate spectators to irrelevance-or, worse, to the ignominy of cowards and traitors. Revisiting histories of the 1979 revolution in Iran, Arash Davari explores how millions of people defied expectations and joined popular assemblies to demand the fall of the Pahlavi regime. Through the lens of recent global social movements, Insurgent Witness presents an archetype of collective identity as partisan and spectator at once. Combining novel findings with a fresh methodological approach to previously considered collections, this book presents a distinct concept of revolutionary subjectivity-one that describes the terms of mass revolt in Iran and at the same time challenges prevailing assumptions about social change and popular sovereignty in contemporary political thought.

The Ideology of ISIS and the Roots of Terrorism
  • Asaad Alsaleh
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    September 2026
    Print publication:
    30 September 2026
  • In this groundbreaking study, Asaad Alsaleh reveals how ISIS weaponized Islamic texts to transform Islamic theology into a tool of ideological violence. Drawing on close readings of Arabic primary sources, he explores the historic notion of takfir – excommunication -- from the 'apostasy wars' that followed Prophet Muhammad's death through modern jihadist movements. Alsaleh demonstrates how political authorities systematically exploited excommunication to eliminate perceived threats throughout Muslim history. He also examines the theological mechanisms through which the group legitimizes violence. Combining theological, historical, and ideological analysis, Alsaleh argues that ISIS pursues a utopian project based on man-made ideology rather than divine revelation, thus distinguishing authentic Islam (rooted in the Qur'an and authenticated Prophetic hadith) from human interpretations that have been tragically conflated with the religion itself. Alsaleh concludes with suggestions as to how to solve the problems that ideology poses, emphasizing that clear efforts must be made to disentangle ideology from religion.

Incomplete Constitutions and Coordination in Deeply Divided Societies
  • The Afghan Experiment
  • Shamshad Pasarlay
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    September 2026
    Print publication:
    30 September 2026
  • Why are some deeply divided societies able to craft stable constitutional regimes while others have failed and continue to be mired in endless communal conflict? This puzzle constitutes the central question this book seeks to address. This book is directed at scholars who wish to understand the riddles of constitutional performance in deeply divided societies, and those who are interested in understanding Afghanistan's troubled constitutional history. By providing the most comprehensive account of the drafting and performance of Afghanistan's 2004 constitution, the book is aimed at scholars who want to understand the nuances of the process that produced the Constitution and evaluate its performance with fresh eyes. The world is full of divided, post-conflict societies which continue to witness tragic violent conflicts. This book is thus a valuable resource for policy makers who are currently grappling with how to approach thorny problems of constitutional design and nation-building in these societies.

Sex Between Men in Early Muslim Discourses
  • A Historical Genealogy
  • Sara Omar
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    September 2026
    Print publication:
    30 September 2026
  • Throughout Islamic history, Muslim jurists have prohibited sex between men. Yet, this prohibition was not based solely on scriptural commands. Tracing a genealogy of Muslim discourses across the first five centuries of Islam, this study situates liwāṭ within wider debates about the body, gender, morality, medicine, and religion. Sara Omar examines changing interpretations of the Lot narrative, the evolution of ḥadīth traditions, and the gradual formation of Islamic legal frameworks. Through close readings of legal, exegetical, medical, and ethical texts, the book uncovers deep disagreements over evidence, authority, culpability, and punishment, revealing a tradition marked by contestation rather than consensus. Omar engages Jewish, Christian, and Hellenic intellectual legacies to shows how early Muslims negotiated the boundaries of nature, desire, and the permissible. Accessible yet analytically rigorous, the book offers new perspectives on Islamic law, sexual ethics, and the historical roots of contemporary debates.

Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
  • A Critical Study of Peace Negotiations, Mediation and Facilitation Between Israel and the PLO
  • Raphael Cohen-Almagor
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    September 2026
    Print publication:
    30 September 2026
  • Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is aimed at politicians, diplomats, policymakers, scholars, journalists, and informed readers seeking to understand why peace efforts have repeatedly failed-and how true reconciliation remains possible. Based on over one hundred interviews with Middle-Eastern, European, and American leaders, alongside extensive archival research, the book offers rare insight into the dynamics of diplomacy. It reveals how trust, fairness, and political courage are vital for peace. By analysing pivotal moments-from Oslo to Camp David and the Abbas-Olmert talks, it identifies recurring mistakes and proposes strategies to foster mutual recognition and lasting coexistence. Both authoritative and accessible, the book blends history, law, ethics, and international relations into a practical roadmap for future peace efforts. Its interdisciplinary approach and use of primary sources make it both authoritative and engaging. Readers will come away with a deeper understanding of the conflict and the tools needed to help resolve it.

The Social Networks of Early Medieval Trading Emporia
  • Harbouring Strangers in a Viking World
  • Søren Michael Sindbæk
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    September 2026
    Print publication:
    30 September 2026
  • Trading emporia emerged in Northern Europe in the Early Middle Ages and were the first coin-based markets and urban settlements in this region. In this study, Søren Sindbæk proposes a new account of the origins of these trading centres by tracing their role in hosting strangers. Sindbæk proposes that 'weak' social ties is a widely overlooked middle ground in pre-modern societies that bridge the gap between 'strong' family ties and formal institutions. By adapting cultural norms, networks, and institutions, it was possible to combine a high level of trust within an open form of society. Emporia developed when the ancient conventions of hosting and guest-friendship became insufficient to accommodate the growing connections between peoples brought together through seafaring. Sindbaek demonstrates that the history of emporia is closely linked to the expansion of maritime trade, colonization, piracy, and warfare - the basis for what we know today as the Viking Age.

Legal Theory in the Colonies
  • Hindu and Jewish Scholars under British Rule
  • Assaf Likhovski
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    August 2026
    Print publication:
    31 August 2026

Iranian Non-Muslim Communities
  • Negotiating Social Space during the Constitutional Revolution, 1891-1911
  • Saghar Sadeghian
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    August 2026
    Print publication:
    31 August 2026
  • In the years surrounding the Iranian Constitutional Revolution, major non-Muslim communities of Zoroastrians, Christians, Jews, and Bahaʾis negotiated identities, rights, and power structures. Using primary documents from Iranian, British, and French archives, Saghar Sadeghian sheds light on an underexplored aspect of Iranian and Middle Eastern history and offers a comparative view of these communities during the late Qajar era. This study draws on theories from Foucault, Agamben, and Lefebvre, providing an interdisciplinary analysis that connects history and sociology. The position of non-Muslims in Iranian society created heterotopias for the Muslim majority, yet the fluid identities blurred boundaries and bent regulations. Sadeghian explores the roles of non-Muslims in the revolution, demonstrating the impacts on these groups at the intersection of religion, economy, and politics.

The Cambridge Companion to Modern Arabic Literature
  • Edited by Michael Allan, Zeina G. Halabi
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    August 2026
    Print publication:
    31 August 2026
  • The Cambridge Companion to Modern Arabic Literature redefines how we engage with Arabic literary traditions in a global context. This comprehensive and accessible companion situates modern Arabic literature at the forefront of debates about time, language, geography, and media. Through incisive case studies and close readings, leading scholars explore the dynamic intersections of Arabic literature with postcolonial, feminist, and ecological thought, as well as its transnational and translational dimensions. From the Nahda to the Anthropocene, from fuṣḥā to ʿāmmiyya, and from the Maghrib to the Arab diaspora, the companion maps the evolving contours of Arabic literary production. Far from being peripheral, Arabic literature emerges as a vital force in reimagining the dynamics of comparative and world literary studies. This companion is an essential resource for scholars, students, and readers seeking to understand the transformative power of modern Arabic literature.

Musa Sadr: Modernity, Shi‘ism, and Islamic Humanism
  • Musa Sadr
  • Edited by Chibli Mallat
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    July 2026
    Print publication:
    31 July 2026
  • Musa Sadr was a leading force in Lebanese politics from the early 1960s until his disappearance in Libya in 1978. Like now, this was a time of turmoil, violence, and change in the Middle East. Sadr has been portrayed as primarily a charismatic man of action whose inspirational qualities led Lebanon's Shia Muslims to the centre of the political stage. This book also reflects his position as a thinker whose actions were firmly rooted in universal ethical and religious values, and for whom Islam was social philosophy as well as faith. With twelve texts taken from lectures or talks given by Sadr between 1966-1977, an introduction, and a chronology of Sadr's life, the book situates Sadr within currents of humanist intellectual thought. Detailed contextualising footnotes accompany the translations, highlighting the enduring relevance and topicality of Sadr's ideas.

Jihadist Peace
  • Ending Islamist Civil Wars
  • Desirée Nilsson, Isak Svensson
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    July 2026
    Print publication:
    31 July 2026
  • Islamist civil wars pose a major challenge to peace and security around the world. Written by two leading scholars of conflict resolution, Jihadist Peace: Ending Islamist Civil Wars offers a groundbreaking analysis of why these conflicts are among the most difficult to end, and what can be done about it. The book makes a theoretical contribution by explaining their intractability, arguing that the transnational ideological framing of Islamist civil wars increases uncertainty about the capabilities and resolve of the warring parties. Drawing on conflict resolution theory, rigorous statistical analysis, and detailed case studies of Afghanistan, Mauritania, Mali, and Syria, the authors explore the conditions under which these wars can both come to an end and be resolved. They argue that the local dimension is key: by disentangling both rebel and government actors from broader networks, Jihadist Peace charts a path toward resolving some of the world's most intractable civil wars.

States Under Stress
  • Explaining Resilience in the Middle East
  • Eberhard Kienle
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    June 2026
    Print publication:
    30 June 2026
  • Unlike conventional narratives of 'state failure' and its conceptual avatars, the volume analyses the remains of states whose populations had been torn apart by prolonged and violent conflicts and whose rulers lost the monopoly over the means of coercion and the capacity to implement public policies. Focusing on Lebanon since the civil war of the 1970s and 80s, Syria since the repression of the 'Arab spring' in 2011, and Iraq since the 1991 and 2003 wars, it provides a systematic explanation of the continuous, if precarious, survival of these states which draws on international recognition, access to resources, institutional arrangements, and societal ties alongside societal cleavages. In the process, States under Stress defends a definition of the state based on claims to statehood.

Iran's Minorities
  • Social Diversity and State Power
  • Lois Beck
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    June 2026
    Print publication:
    30 June 2026
  • In the wake of Iran's revolution in 1978–79, a fundamentalist Islamic theocracy took control of the country. These dramatic changes impacted all sectors of society including a vast array of diverse peoples and cultures. In this book, Lois Beck provides an anthropological and historical account of Iran's many minorities. She focuses on the aftermath of the revolution, declaration of an Islamic republic, and Iraq-Iran war. Drawing on six decades of anthropological research, Beck provides frameworks for understanding how each of Iran's linguistic, religious, ethnic, ethno-national, and tribal minorities fashioned unique identities. These identities stem from factors relating to history, location, socioeconomic patterns, and sociocultural traits. They reflect the people's interactions with Iran's rulers and governments as they changed over time. A modern nation-state cannot be fully understood without knowing the extent of its reach in the peripheries and border regions and among its diverse peoples. This landmark study challenges existing scholarly accounts by offering broad and detailed perspectives on Iran's many distinct languages, religions, ethnicities, ethno-nations, and tribes.
The Advent of Iron

The Advent of Iron
  • Robert Downes
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    June 2026
    Print publication:
    30 June 2026
  • Before the latter half of the 2nd millennium BCE, smelted iron was virtually unknown in the Near East. Yet by the turn of the millennium iron had already begun to displace copper alloys across the region. This Element will explore the extent to which this phenomenon may have arisen as a consequence of technological developments within preceding traditions for the extraction of copper from its ores. It presents a new approach incorporating a reappraisal of current knowledge with a series of integrated experiments to reveal the frequency of iron extraction during the copper smelting practices of the Late Bronze Age Near East. Armed with these insights the author seeks to address how iron metallurgy may have developed from existing extractive traditions and the implications this has for our wider understanding of technological change within past cultures.

Speaking Freedom
  • The Tunisian Public Sphere between Revolution and Democracy
  • Charis Boutieri
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    June 2026
    Print publication:
    30 June 2026
  • What can a North African country teach us about democracy in crisis? Taking readers inside a ground-up reading of the Tunisian Revolution, this study reveals how ordinary people reshaped political life and why their experience matters far beyond Tunisia's borders. By looking closely at this understudied case, Charis Boutieri challenges familiar ideas about what revolutions are, how democracy works, and the dynamic relationship between the two. Speaking Freedom offers a vivid and accessible way to rethink political change in our own time, and provides not only a powerful narrative but also a systematic framework for reimagining how to support democratic participation. At a moment when democracy is faltering worldwide, this book argues that the Tunisian experience holds urgent lessons, showing that even in times of crisis, people can reinvent the public sphere and reimagine political possibility.

Page 1 of 2400