The New Middle East: What Everyone Needs to Know®

The New Middle East: What Everyone Needs to Know, by James L. Gelvin, explains how the collapse of the USSR, the American invasion of Iraq, and the Arab uprisings of 2010-11 have led to a new Middle East characterized by crisis states, weakened economies, and the end of American hegemony. The book explores the social, political, and economic contours of the region, highlighting the COVID-19 pandemic, bad governance, stagnant economies, poor healthcare, and educational systems, climate change, food and water insecurity, population growth, and displacement.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 20 January 2024
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The New Middle East: What Everyone Needs to Know, written by renowned Middle East scholar James L. Gelvin, delves into the transformative events that have shaped the region since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the American invasion of Iraq, and the Arab uprisings of 2010-11. This second edition offers a comprehensive exploration of the key characteristics that define the New Middle East, including the emergence of crisis states in Syria, Libya, and Yemen, where warlords clash with governments and each other. The economies of Iran, Turkey, and Lebanon have faced significant challenges due to corruption, sanctions, and neoliberal economic policies, leading to their collapse. Some states have resorted to repressive measures, while others intervene in the internal affairs of their neighbors with impunity.

The revised and expanded edition of this book delves deeper into these defining features of the New Middle East, shedding light on the end of American hegemony in the region, the expansion of conflict zones, the ongoing rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and the consequences of the breakdown of the Israel-Palestine peace process. It also highlights the profound crisis of human security that the region faces, encompassing factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, poor governance, stagnant economies, inadequate healthcare and educational systems, climate change, food and water insecurity, population growth and imbalance, and the unprecedented displacement of populations.

In a concise and accessible question-and-answer format, Gelvin provides a comprehensive overview of the social, political, and economic dynamics of the New Middle East, illuminating the current crisis and offering insights into its likely trajectory in the coming decades. This book serves as a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the complex and evolving dynamics of the Middle East.

Weight: 214g
Dimension: 140 x 210 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197622094
Edition number: 2 Revised edition