Richard W. Mansbach (BA Swarthmore College, DPhil Oxford University) is a former Marshall Scholar and three-time Fulbright Scholar. He has authored, co-authored, or edited seventeen books and numerous articles and book chapters largely concerning theory in global politics and foreign policy. His scholarship has extended our understanding of global politics beyond the traditional notion of territorial states interacting in an anarchic system to encompass a wide variety of actors complexly related across a variety of issues. Increasingly, his work has moved from the dominant role of “states” in international relations theory to encompass a changing cast of actors in a globalizing world and toward the concept of “identity” and the role of psychological, as opposed to geographic, distance in determining loyalties and behavior. His scholarship focuses on the critical role of history and norms in understanding change and continuity in global politics and in the movement from pre-international to international and, ultimately, post-international politics in a globalizing world. Among his books several are routinely used in major graduate programs, notably, The Web of World Politics, In Search of Theory: Toward a New Paradigm for Global Politics, The Elusive Quest:  Theory and International Politics, Polities: Authority, Identities, and Change, The Elusive Quest Continues: Theory and Global Politics, Remapping Global Politics, Globalization: The return of borders to a borderless world?. In addition, Professor Mansbach was the co-editor of the field’s flagship journal International Studies. He has also served as department chair at Rutgers University (New Brunswick) and at Iowa State University. Kirsten Taylor (BA University of Pittsburgh, PhD McGill University) is Associate Professor and Department Chair of Government and International Studies at Berry College, a private liberal arts college in Northwest Georgia. Her scholarship focuses on the development and transformation of international institutions and norms, with particular emphases on security and environmental institutions, teaching with simulations. Her articles have appeared in International Studies Perspectives, Canadian Journal of Political Science and Comparative Strategy. Dr. Taylor also is co-author of a textbook, Introduction to Global Politics, with Richard Mansbach.

"Challenges for America in the Middle East helps students understand the environmental factors of Middle Eastern politics as they relate to the principles and ideas of American foreign policy.  The authors present compelling arguments concerning the political reasoning behind American policy actions, as well as policy prescriptions that might be discussed or considered by key U.S. policy actors."

• Chapter 1: Sources of American Foreign PolicyThe Linkage of Domestic and Foreign PoliciesSources of U.S. Foreign PolicyConclusionChapter 2: Competing Currents in U.S. Foreign PolicyCompeting CurrentsThe Past: Competing Currents in Historical PerspectiveThe Present: The Impact of 9/11Conclusion: Engagement or Disengagement?Part I: Arab Spring or Arab Winter?Chapter 3: America and the Arab Middle East before the Arab SpringSources of American Policy toward the Arab Middle EastThe Arabs: World War One and AfterThe Middle East and OilThe Cold War and the Arab WorldPolitical IslamConclusion: Political Islam and DemocracyChapter 4: America and the Evolution of the Arab SpringThe Arrival of SpringConclusion: The Middle East in an Era of Declining American PowerChapter 5: American Options in a Changing Arab WorldEgyptSyriaConclusion: Spring or Winter?Part II: Radical IslamChapter 6: Radical Islam: Origins and EvolutionSources of American Policy toward Radical IslamEarly IslamSources and Meaning of Radical IslamThe Origins and Early Evolution of al-Qaeda ("the Base")Conclusion: American Foreign Policy and the "Green Menace"Chapter 7: America and the War on TerrorThe War on Terror BeginsAl-Qaeda and Islamic Extremism after 9/11Regional Terrorist GroupsIraq and SyriaThe "War on Terror"Human Rights and the War on TerrorConclusionChapter 8: An End to the War on Terror?Al-Qaeda and Its Regional AffiliatesIslamic State of Iraq and Syria"Lone Wolves"SurveillanceHuman Rights: Drone StrikesThe War on TerrorConclusion: Terrorism PersistsPart III: Israel and PalestineChapter 9: America and the Evolution of the Israeli-Palestinian Conundrum, 1948-1967The Birth of IsraelSources of U.S. Policy toward Israel and the PalestiniansThe Yom Kippur or October WarThe Six-Day War and Its ConsequencesConclusion: Consequences of the Six-Day WarChapter 10: America, Israel and Palestine: The Elusive Road to PeaceAmerican Policy and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace ProcessConclusion: What Next?Chapter 11: Is Israel-Palestinian Peace Possible?Two States or One?Israeli SettlementsRefugeesHamas and GazaEconomic and Resource IssuesConclusion: Will It Ever End?Part IV: The Shia CrescentChapter 12: Early American Relations with Iran and IraqSources of American Policy toward Iran and IraqIran, America, and Britain until the Iranian RevolutionThe Birth and Evolution of IraqConclusionChapter 13: America and the Shia Crescent: Iraq and IranIraqIranConclusionChapter 14: American Options in Iran and IraqCombatting Insurgency in IraqGrowing Iranian influence in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle EastAmerica and Its Sunni FriendsOil InterestsIran’s Nuclear AmbitionsIsrael and Iran’s “Existential Threat”ConclusionChapter 15: Conclusion: America and the Complex Middle EastThe Evolution of American Foreign Policy before the Cold WarAfter the Cold WarContemporary Middle East ChallengesWhat Next?