International Politics of the Middle East

Raymond Hinnebusch is Professor of International Relations and Middle Politics at the University of St Andrews

'Distinguished in part by its careful attention to theory and alternative approaches to the region, Hinnebusch's International Relations of the Middle East quickly became one of the most important statements on the Middle East when it was published in 2003. A lot has happened since then, and his thoroughly revised and updated text, once again, stands heads and shoulders above the rest. Indeed, one of the real contributions of the latest edition is that it carefully situates, historically and analytically, the region's convulsions in broader perspective, allowing the readers to better understand the continuity and ruptures of the history of the region.' Michael Barnett, The George Washington University 'Following the growing number of calls in recent years for more dialogue between IR theory and the study of the Middle East this ambitious and very impressive volume by a truly 'dual-hatted' scholar brilliantly shows how insights from these two fields of study can be integrated and why such cross-fertilization will not only enrich our understanding of international relations of the Middle East but also contribute in important ways to broader IR-debates.' Morten Valbjorn, Aarhus University 'This is a wonderful and updated study of the international relations of the Middle East. It's at once thematic and historical, analytical and substantive. Hinnebusch combines theoretical strength with deep knowledge of a region in turmoil, as he persuasively places the era of the Arab uprisings in a much broader historical context. I highly recommend it.' Shibley Telhami, University of Maryland 'A theoretically-sophisticated and historically-contextualized survey of Middle East international relations. The chapter on the Arab uprisings demonstrates robustly the explanatory power of Hinnebusch's eclectic theoretical approach.' Bassel F. Salloukh, Lebanese American University -- .

• Introduction to the international politics of the Middle East1. Core and periphery: the international system and the Middle East2. Identity and sovereignty in the regional system3. State formation and international behaviour4. Foreign policy making in the Middle East 5. Comparative foreign policies: historical sociology explanations for foreign policy variation6. War and order in the regional system7. The Middle East under US hegemony (1990–2010)8. The Arab Uprising: Consequences for State and System 9. Conclusion: between IR Theory and the Middle East caseBibliographyIndex