It also includes the role of foreign powers in the Middle East, especially France, Great Britain, the former Soviet Union, and the United States."--BOOK JACKET.

"In 2012, the year 1433 of the Muslim calendar, the Islamic population throughout the world was estimated at approximately a billion and a half, representing about one-fifth of humanity. In geographical terms, Islam occupies the center of the world, stretching like a big belt across the globe from east to west."--P. vii.

Encompasses the interaction of political, historical, social, economic, and cultural movements as well as relevant persons (living and dead), places, and events. Spans the geographical area from Afghanistan to Morocco. Covers topics in politics, economics, religion, hsitory, literature, the arts, and more.

This major reference provides comprehensive coverage of the political parties and movements in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Frank Tachau and a group of prestigious scholars and internationally acclaimed experts on the region's political history describe the formation, evolution, and impact of parties in each of the 19 countries that are surveyed, and they also discuss Palestinian and Kurdish political groups. Bibliographies accompany each chapter. The two appendixes are chronologies of important dates in the political developments in the various countries and in the region and information about the genealogies of parties where country histories are particularly complex. A general index and internal cross-references make the data about the parties easily accessible to the political scientists, historians, and Middle Eastern students, teachers, and professionals for whom the survey is designed.

Examines the region from its pre-Islamic period to the present day, its regional conflicts, and technology.

Bernard Lewis looks at the new era in the Middle East. With the departure of imperial powers, the region must now, on its own, resolve the political, economic, cultural, and societal problems that prevent it from accomplishing the next stage in the advance of civilization. There is enough in the traditional culture of Islam on the one hand and the modern experience of the Muslim peoples on the other, he explains, to provide the basis for an advance toward freedom in the true sense of that word.

This encyclopedia addresses key issues in contemporary Middle East politics through substantive entries that constitute short essays. Thus, in addition to entries on each state (reviewing land, people, culture and history) major issues are examined: Islamic Fundamentalism; water politics; the Arab-Israeli Peace Process; women; terrorism, plus short entries on political figures, parties, and movements. This encyclopedia is an essential guide wntten by leading academic authorities.