A Political Economy of the Middle East 2e: Second Edition

From Table of Contents: 1998 I - Intro 2 - The Framework of the Study * Economic Growth and Structural Transformation * State Structure and Development Policy * Social Actors * Structural Transformation and Interest Formation * Defensive Modernization and Colonial Transformation 3 - Economic Growth and Structural Change * The Natural Resource Base * Oil Supply, Demand, and Economic Rents * Patterns of Economic Growth 4 - The Impact of Rapid Population Growth * Comparative Demographic Patterns * The Economic Consequences of Rapid Population Growth * The Politics of Young Populations * The Politics of Differential Fertility * Rapid Population Growth and the Would-Be Middle Class 5 - Human Capital: Health, Education, and Labor Markets * Health Issues * Educational Systems * Labor Markets 6 - Water and Food Security * The Food Gap * Policy Impediments to Output Growth * Water and the Imperative of a New Food Security Strategy 7 - The Emergence of the Public Sector * The State as Architect of Structural Transformation * Ataturk and the Turkish Paradigm * Replicating the Paradigm * State Capitalism, the State Bourgeoisie, and the Process of Accumulation 8 - Contradiction of State-Led Growth * The Continued Dominance of Public-Sector Enterprise * The Political Economy of Structural Adjustment 9 - The Checkered Course of Economic Reform * A Survey of Country Experiences 10 - Urban Political Economy * The Process of Urbanization * Housing and Infrastructure * Income Distribution and Poverty * Urban Politics and Political Violence 11 - Political Regimes: As They Are and As They View Themselves * Socialist Republics * Liberal Monarchies * Established and Would-Be Democracies * The Islamic Republics * Future Regimes: Some Speculation 12 - Solidarism and its Enemies * Small Groups and Clientelist Politics * The Failure of Parties * The Tenets of Solidarism * The Failure of Ideology * The Islamic Challenge * Democracy without Democrats? 13 - The Military and the State * The Military in Middle East Politics * Good Guys or Bad Guys? * The Economic Weight of the Military * The Military and Nation Building * The Regular Military and Civilians in Arms 14 - Is Islam the Solution? * Islamists in Opposition * Islamists in Power 15 - Regionalism, Labor Migration, and the Future of the Oil Economies * Labor Migration: An Overview * The Impact of Labor Migration on Sending Countries * Migration and Equity * The Impact of Migration on Receiving Countries * Conclusion, the Return of Surplus Labor

This book starts to fill a gap sorely lacking on political economy in the Middle East. At times, it suffers from what most surveys of regions do - overlooking particular experiences of individual countries and other important factors determining important cause and effect relationships.Nevertheless, it provides a good starting point for the student of the Middle East and the general reader who has a curiosity concerning the lack of non-oil wealth in the Middle East.

I have read and used sevral books in my research on the Middle East. I find this book to be the best to gain a bird's eye view of many social, political and economic problems in the region. R & W discuss problems of nation - building, state types and formation, competing ideologies, socio-economic crisis and oil politics (among other things). It's an excellent place to start for serious approaches to the subject. I have read both editions and look forward to future books form these authors.I

This authorative work was monumental when first released, and the second edition updates the first well, addressing many new contemporary developments. At times, the book can be daunting; however, for the material it covers, it is often suprisingly readable. It is great a launchpad for a multifarious number of other studies because it integrates and discusses so many other concerns. The charts, graphs, and tables which are employed generously are helpful as well. Overall, the book succeeds well at being balanced, practical and straightforward about the problems facing the Middle East, including their source and future.Recommended for students and professionals seeking specialized knowledge of the M. E. which presents a solid framework for seeing the interelatedness of many aspects of Mid. East society. Casual readers will be overwhelmed by it analytical style and attention to detail. A general knowledge of economics as well as politics is of course recommended before reading this as well.