Publications

Tareq Y. Ismael Middle East Politics Today: Government and Civil Society
(Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2001), 510 pages, US$59.95 (cloth)

In this book, author Tareq Ismael provides an in-depth and informative analysis of the political systems in the Middle East and the forces that have shaped them. The creation of the modern Middle Eastern state, the development of civil society, and the role of political Islam are all effectively addressed by the author and analyzed in case studies.

Ismael, a professor of political science at the University of Calgary and President of the International Center for Contemporary Middle East Studies at Eastern Mediterranean University, bases his analysis on the premise that "the patterns of politics over time are more important in understanding Middle Eastern politics at any given point in time than events in time." He determines that the structure of Middle East civil society has changed in conjunction with changes in the region’’s political economy during three eras (Islamic, Ottoman, and Independence).

The first section of the book is dedicated to analyzing the intricacies and development of Middle Eastern history, society, religion, and politics. It is here that Ismael illustrates his central argument that civil society is often impeded by "the oppressive state." From A.D. 723 (the beginning of the Abbasid period) through to today, Middle Eastern civil society has been active in numerous forms and to differing degrees; however, it has been the state system that has often been the greatest influence on civil society’’s development and characterization.

The second section of this book is a comparative analysis of the political systems in the region. The author examines Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the GCC states, Yemen, and Egypt. His review of each country’’s political structure provides an accurate reflection of the divergence of systems in the region and the differing levels of civil society.

This book is a comprehensive and often critical analysis of the political systems comprising the Middle East. Ismael argues that "civil society has a historical legacy," yet it only "exists in latent form in the modern Middle East." The author concludes that development of the modern state system in most of the region is responsible for this. (Andrew Noznesky)

Bulletin of Regional Cooperation in the Middle East Winter 2001-2002
Copyright 2004 Search for Common Ground