A Concise History of the Middle East

A Concise History of the Middle East provides a comprehensive introduction to the history of this region. Spanning from the pre-Islamic era to the present, it explores the evolution of Middle Eastern institutions and culture, the influence of European colonialism and Western imperialism, regional modernization efforts, the struggle of various peoples for political independence, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the reassertion of Islamist values and power, the issues surrounding the Palestinian Question, and the Middle East following 9/11, the 2011 Arab uprisings, and the regional crisis that erupted after 7 October 2023. The thirteenth edition has been fully revised to reflect the most recent events in, and concerns of, the region, including its future in the face of climate change and challenges in Iraq, and developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In addition, the important role of Middle Eastern women in the history of the region is woven into the narrative. New parts and part timelines will help students grasp and contextualize the long and complicated history of the region. With updated biographical sketches and a new concluding chapter, this book remains the quintessential text for students of Middle East history.

Ibrahim Al-Marashi is Associate Professor of Middle East History at California State University, San Marcos, and an advisory board member of the International Security and Conflict Resolution program at San Diego State University (SDSU). He is Visiting Professor at the School of Public Health at SDSU, the Department of Visual Arts at University of California San Diego, the Department of Political Science at University of San Diego, and the Department of History at John Cabot University in Rome, Italy. He is the co-author of Iraq's Armed Forces: An Analytical History and The Modern History of Iraq, fourth edition, with Phebe Marr. Arthur Goldschmidt Jr. is Professor Emeritus of Middle East History at Penn State University. He is the author of Modern Egypt: The Formation of a Nation-State, and the recipient of the Amoco Foundation Award for Outstanding Teaching and the 2000 Middle East Studies Association Mentoring Award.

1. Introduction The Pre-Islamic 3. Muhammad and the Rise of Islam 4. The Early Arab Conquests 5. The High Caliphate 7. The Crusader and Mongol Invasions 8. Islamic Civilization 9. Firearms, Slaves, and Empires European Interests and Imperialism 11. Westernizing Reform in the Nineteenth Century 12. The Rise of Nationalism 13. Arab Nationalism and the First World War 14. Modernizing Rulers in the Independent States 15. Egypt and the Fertile Crescent Under European Control 16. The Contest for Palestine 17. Israel's Formation and the Arab Response 18. Wars and the Quest for Peace 19. The Iranian Revolution and Rise of Islamist Movement 20. The 1991 Gulf War and the Peace Process 21. Jihadism and America's "War on Terror" 22. The Arab Uprisings of 2011 23. The Regional Cold War in the Twenty-First Century 24. The Middle East and the Environment into the Twenty-First Century 25. Conclusion