Middle East Patterns

Now in its seventh edition, Middle East Patterns continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative geographical study of the region. Coauthors Colbert C. Held and John Thomas Cummings examine a wide range of geographic, ethnographic, and political patterns of the Middle East, and explore their relationship with, and effect on, the history, economics and human and social development of the region. The book is divided into two parts: The first covers the region from a topical perspective, and the second provides in-depth country-by-country coverage.The seventh edition now includes new chapters on rural life and urban life in Part I, a new chapter on North Africa in Part II, and additional discussions of environmental issues and gender. It has also been updated with the latest data and coverage of events since 2013, including the aftermath of the Arab uprisings, the Libyan and Syrian crises, and the rise of ISIS. Richly illustrated with more than 200 photos and maps and supported by pedagogical elements like key point summaries and a glossary, this acclaimed book remains the best and most accessible resource for students and general readers who seek to understand the spatial dynamics of the Middle East.

Colbert C. Held taught at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, then served for fifteen years as a Foreign Service Officer with assignments in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, as well as successive temporary missions in every country in the Middle East. He later became Diplomat-in-Residence at Baylor University. John Thomas Cummings has spent nearly thirty years as a development economist in the Middle East with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAID, and the World Bank. He has taught economic development and international economics at Al-Hikma University (Baghdad), Suffolk University, Tufts University, and the University of Texas at Austin.