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18th - 20th century
Imperial Legacy: The Ottoman Imprint on the Balkans and the Middle East
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Imperial Legacy |
The term "Ottoman" does not often evoke a positive response. Few empires have been as villified as this one. Detractors include its own Muslim subjects - a majority of the intelligentsia I would venture - who accuse the empire of being responsible for their current backwardness. The heirs of its former Christian subjects perceive it as a long era of oppression. The heirs of its former Christian rivals see it as the embodiement of Islamic expansionism, an alien Asiatic, Oriental, Turkic state which threatened Europe. Few identify the Ottoman Empire as a direct part of their own heritage.
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Posted by Shaheen at 09:57 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Oil Monarchies
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Oil Monarchies: Domestic and Security Challenges in the Arab Gulf States |
Gregory Gause is one of the best scholars of the Gulf, and this book is a good example of why.
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Posted by dubaiwalla at 10:56 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
All the Shah's Men
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All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror |
A riveting read, All the Shah's Men tells the story of how Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh of Iran came to be the first head of government in the world to be overthrown by the CIA.
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Posted by dubaiwalla at 01:53 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
From Arab Nationalism to OPEC
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From Arab Nationalism to OPEC: Eisenhower, King Sa'ud, and the Making of U.S.-Saudi Relations (Indiana Series in Middle East Studies) |
This book examines the development of the US relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it first developed, in the Truman and Eisenhower Administrations.
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Posted by dubaiwalla at 12:14 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
The Culture of Sectarianism: Community, History, and Violence in Nineteenth-Century Ottoman Lebanon
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The Culture of Sectarianism: Community, History, and Violence in Nineteenth-Century Ottoman Lebanon |
Guess what - them X-ians & Muslims & Druze haven't been at each other's throats since "time immemorial". Sectarianism started in the mid-19th century and is a modern phenomenon.
Posted by raf* at 07:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Imperial Harem : Women and Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire
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The Imperial Harem: Women and Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire (Studies in Middle Eastern History) |
One of the books that put an end to all the rubbish about "weak Sultans & strong mothers". This one is readable.
Posted by raf* at 07:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Arabs and Young Turks: Ottomanism, Arabism, and Islamism in the Ottoman Empire, 1908-1918
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Arabs and Young Turks: Ottomanism, Arabism, and Islamism in the Ottoman Empire, 1908-1918 |
The e-book version is free of charge.
Posted by raf* at 07:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Urban Forms and Colonial Confrontations: Algiers Under French Rule
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Urban Forms and Colonial Confrontations: Algiers Under French Rule |
The e-book version is free of charge.
Posted by raf* at 07:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
An Economic and Social History of the Ottoman Empire
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An Economic and Social History of the Ottoman Empire, 1300-1914 2 volume set (paperback) (Economic & Social History of the Ottoman Empire) |
For "advanced" students of the Middle East, this dense two-volume collection is perfect for background reading and reference. Should not be opened by beginners - the danger of turning them off the region is simply too great.
Posted by raf* at 07:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age 1798-1939
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Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age 1798-1939 |
Old-school book on "Arab" intellectual developments and intellectuals. Highly readable.
Posted by raf* at 06:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Ottoman Empire, 1700-1922
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The Ottoman Empire, 1700-1922 (New Approaches to European History) |
The sequel to Goffman's book. Good, post-nationalist overview.
Posted by raf* at 06:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Modern Middle East : Revised Edition
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The Modern Middle East: Revised Edition |
Great collection of articles on the "major issues" in MENA history/studies. Good point of departure.
Posted by raf* at 06:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Modern Middle East : A History
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The Modern Middle East: A History |
Currently one of the best textbooks on modern MENA history. Perfect for beginners, entertaining for "insiders".
Posted by raf* at 06:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
