A Political Economy of the Middle East

by Alan Richards

This integrated, analytic text presents a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of the political economy of the entire contemporary Middle East region over the past several decades. As did the first edition, this new edition, extensively rewritten and revised, stresses how different development strategies have contributed to the creation of powerful interests that now often block needed change. The book also retains its focus on the interaction of economic development processes, state systems, and social actors. The revisions not only include much new data and evidence but also take into account emerging issues, such as youth unemployment, impending water shortages, the experience with structural adjustment, pressures for democratization, and the rise of political Islam. The authors also give special attention to the impact of such recent international events as the collapse of the oil boom, the end of the Cold War, and Operation Desert Storm.

Genres: Middle East, History, Politics, Economics, Nonfiction, Social Science

464 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 1989

Reviews

[Atomic Bombshell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not an easy read. If this makes me sound dumb, I can deal with that. Many times I had to go back a page or two and start over just to make sure I was following along properly. Regardless, I learned a great deal about the Middle East and I'm grateful for what I was able to absorb. My appreciation for the region, and the people who live there, has been growing as a result.

[Habiba · Rating 3 out of 5]

some things may be outdated now but still very informative read

[Gaurang Desai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed this book from the library when I first first moved to the ME.
The country-specific analysis provided a good starting point for understanding the Arab spring which started a few months after I got here.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

land section