Why Yemen Matters

Helen Lackner has been researching the Arabian Peninsula for over forty years and lived in Yemen for close to fifteen. She has worked as a consultant on social aspects of development in over thirty countries and specializes in rural issues, in particular water management and poverty alleviation. Her other works include PDR Yemen: Outpost of Socialist Development in Arabia and Yemen into the Twenty First Century: Continuity and Change. Editor location: Oxford, UK

'Essential reading - The authors shed light on the context of the Yemeni uprising in a way that not only helps us understand the current transitional period but also the outlines of Yemen's future.' - Charles Schmitz, President of the American Institute of Yemeni Studies 'An up to date and wide-ranging guide to what is arguably the Arab world's least known and most misunderstood state. Edited by one of Britain's foremost authorities on Yemen - brings together an impressive range of experts on the country to examine the contemporary reality of Yemen.' - Michael Willis, Director of the Middle East Centre, St. Antony's College, Oxford University 'Thoughtful and well-researched, Why Yemen Matters unearths a wealth of information about contemporary Yemeni society.' - Baghat Korany, Professor of International Relations, American University in Cairo 'An excellent survey of the country's struggles - the book's cover is striking in an understated way, echoing the tenor of the contents.' Majalla 'A remarkable book in terms of its comprehensiveness, accessibility and ethical approach - This book is a must-read for those wanting to go beyond the headlines proclaiming Yemen a "failed state", in order to learn about people's daily realities, needs and aspirations. It dispels misconceptions about the causes of Yemen's problems, such as exaggerating the role of qat, tribalism, Islam or Al Qaeda, to reveal Yemenis as wrestling with problems often beyond their control, but who persist in struggling for a better future.' Jordan Times

• Acknowledgements Note on Transliteration and Abbreviations Chronology Maps Introduction 1 Part One | Politics and Security 1 Yemen between Revolution and Counter-Terrorism by Sheila Carapico 2 Ties that Bind and Divide: The 'Arab Spring' and Yemeni Civil - Military Relations by Adam C. Seitz 3 Yemeni Society in the Spotlight: Theatre and Film in Yemen before, during and after the Arab Spring by Katherine Hennessey Part Two | Regional Issues 4 The Shabab, Institutionalized Politics and the Islamists in the Yemeni Revolution by Laurent Bonnefoy 5 The Irregulars of the Sa'ada War: 'Colonel Sheikhs' and 'Tribal Militias' in Yemen's Huthi Conflict (2004 - 2010) by Marieke Brandt 6 The Role of the PDRY in Forming a South Yemeni Identity by Noel Brehony 7 More than Half of Society: Southern Yemeni Youth, Unemployment and the Quest for a State Job by Susanne Dahlgren Part Three | Economic Development 8 Water Scarcity: Why Doesn't It Get the Attention it Deserves? By Helen Lackner 9 Customary Conflict Resolution in Times of Extreme Water Stress: A Case Study of a Document from the Northern Highlands of Yemen by Gerhard Lichtenthaler 10 Land Disputes in Yemen by Jens Kambeck 11 The Role of Small and Medium Enterprises in the Economy: The Case of Yemen by Kais Aliriani Part Four | Society and Migration 12 On the Edge: The Challenges of Yemen's Healthcare System by Adel Aulaqi 13 Sovereignty Over Their Bodies: Rethinking the Determinants of Women's Reproductive Health in Yemen by Christina Hellmich 14 From Migration Hub to Asylum Crisis: The Changing Dynamics of Contemporary Migration in Yemen by Helene Thiollet 15 'Close Ties': Gender, Labour and Migration between Yemen and the Horn of Africa by Marina de Regt 16 The Emerging Yemeni Community in China: The Socialist Legacy, the New Silk Road and the Chinese Model by Ho Wai-Yip Select Bibliography Notes on Contributors Index