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Students

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Chapter 1: Questions for Discussion

  1. If students in the Middle East were asked to repeat the exercise that opens this chapter and name five words they associate with the United States or Great Britain, what do you think they would be? Why?
  2. What is the role of stereotype? Does it have an impact on government policies? How?
  3. What role does the media play in shaping the view of the Middle East and Islamic world?
  4. What evidence is there to support the civilization clash between the Christian West and Muslim East? What evidence is there to refute this argument?
  5. What kinds of issues are currently being debated within the Muslim world? Are they different from debates in other parts of the world?

Chapter 2: Questions for Discussion

  1. What do you think of this book’s definition of the Middle East and North Africa? Would you define the region differently? How?
  2. How has the ‘everyday’ definition of the Middle East changed in response to events such as the September 11 attacks and the subsequent war on terrorism?
  3. How do the Arab world and the Islamic world overlap? How do they diverge?
  4. How does climatic variability, within an overall dry region, impact on settlement patterns and economic activity?
  5. What challenges does geological instability pose for the region?
  6. What are the social and environmental impacts of rapid urbanization?
  7. What are the positive and negative aspects of a country relying primarily on petroleum resources for its economic base?

Chapter 3: Questions for Discussion

  1. What are the impacts of cultural and ethnic diversity on the Middle East and North Africa?
  2. How have so many different religions co-existed, largely peacefully, in the region for so many centuries? What are the major sources of conflict between these religions?
  3. What is the impact of the diversity within Islam, such as the division between Sunni and Shia religious communities?
  4. How is women’s status measured in Western countries? How does the status of women compare to men in the West or other world regions? Could these measurements be applied to better understand the status of women in the Middle East and North Africa?
  5. What factors and forces are driving change in Middle Eastern society? How do these factors and forces compare to those that are shaping Western society?

Chapter 4: Questions for Discussion

  1. What facets of society in the pre-Islamic Middle East contributed to the successful spread of Islam?
  2. In what way did Islam develop as both a political and religious force?
  3. How is the historical experience of the Shia community of significance today?
  4. What factors contributed to the development of a Muslim ‘Golden Age’? What is the significance of this period today?
  5. How did the Safavid Empire lay a foundation for the creation of the modern state of Iran?
  6. In what ways did the Ottoman Empire leave a lasting imprint on the Middle East?

Chapter 5: Questions for Discussion

  1. What factors contributed to a decline in Ottoman power in relation to that of Europe?
  2. How did the reforms in the Ottoman Empire and Egypt contribute to a rise in nationalism?
  3. Give an example of institutional dualism. How does this dualism still survive in modern Middle Eastern countries today?
  4. How did the post-war settlement create challenges for states in the Middle East today?
  5. How has the influence of Ataturk shaped modern Turkey? In what ways does Turkey differ from other countries in the Middle East?

Chapter 6: Questions for Discussion

  1. In what ways did the actions of colonial powers contribute to the diversity of state structures in the Middle East following independence?
  2. Why did efforts to strike a compromise between the Palestinian right to self-determination and the Jewish desire for a national home fail prior to 1948?
  3. What resources (political, economic, military) did each group, the Palestinians and the Jews, have available to pursue their goal of independent statehood?
  4. Why was the 1967 War such a devastating loss for the Arab states? What was the impact on Israel?
  5. In what ways did the Cold War impact on the USA’s choice of allies in the region?
  6. What was the significance of the Iranian Revolution?
  7. How has US policy towards Iraq changed in the last 25 years?

Chapter 7: Questions for Discussion

  1. How would the challenges that states face differ between the Middle East and the United States and/or Europe?
  2. What historical factors have influenced the development of the contemporary state system in the MENA?
  3. This chapter has organized the region’s states into ‘types’, such as presidential and parliamentary. Are there other possible ways to categorize these states?
  4. Based on this brief introduction, which type of state system(s) offer the greatest opportunities for civil society participation?
  5. In what ways does religion affect the structure of political systems in the region?

Chapter 8: Questions for Discussion

  1. What role do concepts such as ‘innovation’ and ‘interpretation’ play in religious thought in Christianity and Judaism?
  2. What tensions are created in Saudi Arabia because of the close relationship between Wahhabism and the government’s legitimacy?
  3. In what ways are the ideas of Islamists such as Abduh, Rida and al-Banna similar to those of secular nationalists? How are they different?
  4. How did the ideas of Qutb transcend Egypt and become popular throughout the Islamic world?
  5. What was the relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaeda?
  6. Why did Bin Laden’s message appeal to many in the Islamic world, including those who do not support his use of violence but agreed with some of his statements?

Chapter 9: Questions for Discussion

  1. In what way does the demographic profile of the Middle East and North Africa differ from that of the USA or the UK? Are there any possible advantages to the MENA’s demographic profile?
  2. What policies could be implemented to lower fertility rates in the MENA?
  3. What challenges do rural migrants face when they reach the city?
  4. In what way does the US endorsement of the Arab Human Development Report hinder acceptance of its conclusions?
  5. Globalization produces both ‘winners’ and ‘losers’, what is the likelihood that the MENA will be able to compete effectively in a global economy characterized by free trade and capitalism?
  6. What are the links between globalization and the spread of ideas?
  7. How can the countries of the region address their economic and social problems?

Chapter 10: Questions for Discussion

  1. In what ways does the media shape the public’s view of conflict in the Middle East?
  2. What role do religion and nationalism play in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict?
  3. How has the relationship between Israel and its Arab neighbors changed in the last 60 years?
  4. Are there possible compromises on the issues of territory, refugees and Jerusalem that will satisfy both the Israelis and the Palestinians?
  5. What are some of the positive and negative impacts of the Oslo Accords?
  6. What are the impacts of so-called unilateral approaches, such as the Gaza withdrawal and separation barrier?
  7. What should be the role of the international community, and specifically the USA and the UK, in resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict?
  8. What are the challenges of creating a Palestinian state without a final status agreement?

Chapter 11: Questions for Discussion

  1. What historical and political factors limit civil society development in the Middle East and North Africa?
  2. Are some countries more likely to expand civil society participation than others? Which ones? Why?
  3. Is the concept of human rights a universal concept? Or is it culturally determined? Is the ‘Islamic’ concept of human rights the same as the ‘Western’ one? How do they differ?
  4. How is the new media reshaping political life in the Middle East, especially post-Arab Spring?
  5. What were the barriers to the US-led political reform program?
  6. What role are Islamist parties likely to play in the democratization of the region?

Chapter 12: Questions for Discussion

  1. How can new governments in the Middle East and North Africa address the grievances of their people?
  2. What opportunities or dangers does the new instability in the region create for countries in the region, the United States or the international community overall?
  3. Looking ten years into the future do you think the political and social systems of the region will be similar or different to those that existed prior to the 2011 revolutions? Why or why not?

Glossary

abaya – (Arabic) a long enveloping black cloak often worn by women in public in Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries to conceal their bodies. A similar garment, worn in Iran, is called a chador.

al-Aqsa Intifada – the second Palestinian ‘uprising’ against Israeli occupation that began in 2000. The first Palestinian uprising lasted from 1987 until the Oslo Agreement in 1993.

aliyah – (Hebrew) meaning ‘ascent’, refers to the return of Jews to ancient Israel, prior to the creation of the state of Israel.

Arab League – the League of Arab States is a regional organization made up of 22 members, plus observers. At this writing Syria’s membership was suspended due to violence associated with ongoing protests.

bazaar – word common to both Persian and Arabic to indicate a marketplace.

burqa – the Arabic terms refers to a loose outer garment worn, typically worn with a hijab or other head covering by some Muslim women to conceal their bodies in public. Today the word is most closely associated with Afghanistan where the Taliban required women to wear a chadri, an all-enveloping cover, in which even the eyes are concealed by mesh fabric.

dar al-harb – (Arabic, meaning ‘house of war’) those parts of the world where Muslim law is not in effect. The term, and the geopolitical division of the world that it creates, was coined by Islamic scholar Ibn Taymiyyah (1263–1328 CE) within the historical context of the Mongol invasion of Arab lands.

dar al-Islam – (Arabic, meaning ‘house of Islam’) countries were Muslims are able to practice their religion freely and in safety.

devshirme – (Turkish) young boys recruited, often forcibly, from Christian families to serve the Ottoman Empire as soldiers, civil servants and administrators.

dhimmis – (Arabic) this term often refers to the ‘People of the Book’, namely Christians and Jews who share a common religious heritage with Islam. More formally it refers to non-Muslims who live in states under Islamic law (sharia). Specific allowances may be made for dhimmis, for example they may be allowed to consume alcohol while Muslims cannot.

fiqh – (Arabic) refers to Islamic jurisprudence, or Islamic philosophy of law.

Gulf Cooperation Council – economic and political union of states bordering the Arab Gulf: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

ghinnawa – (Arabic) short Bedouin poems.

hajj – (Arabic) the pilgrimage undertaken by Muslims to Mecca. If able, a Muslim should complete the hajj once in their lifetime.

hijab – (Arabic) head covering worn by some Muslim women. Sometimes called a ‘scarf’, the hijab does not cover the face or eyes.

imam – (Arabic) someone (typically males) who lead worship, may also be used as a title to respect to refer to a leading member of the community. 

ird – (Arabic) a term for women’s honor, used in Bedouin society. Sexual transgression can ruin a women’s ird and shame her family’s honor.

jahiliyya – (Arabic) the period of ignorance that existed prior to the revelation of Islam.

Janissary – (Turkish) elite military units composed of Christian recruits in the Ottoman Empire.

kareez – (Persian) a traditional water management system composed of wells found throughout the Middle East. In Arabic they are known as qanats.

khan – (Turkish) title for a ruler or leader.

Kharijites – group of early Muslims that rejected both Sunni and Shia interpretations of Islam. Kharijites believed that anyone could lead the Muslim community.

majlis – (Arabic) though literally meaning a ‘place to sit’, it refers to a council, sometimes elected, that advises a ruler.

millet – (Turkish) term used by the Ottoman Empire to refer to a religious community.

mihrab – (Arabic) niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca (qibla).

mujahideen – (Arabic) refers to one who is conducting jihad, even non-violent forms of jihad (internal struggle). Today it most commonly refers to Afghan fighters who fought against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

niqab – (Arabic) a cloth that covers the lower portion of the face (below the eyes) worn by some Muslim women, typically worn with a hijab.

qanat – a traditional water management system composed of wells found throughout the Middle East.

sharaf – (Arabic) an ethic or honor code among Bedouin Arabs.

souk – (Arabic) a marketplace.

taqiyya – (Arabic) the practice of concealing one’s religion when under threat, associated with Shia Islam.

ulema – (Arabic) the collective term forMuslim religious scholars.

ummah – (Arabic) the global community of believers who practice Islam.

Zionism – a political movement that sought, and supports, the establishment of a Jewish homeland in the area now known as Israel.

Maps