Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Society – serie

Since the start of the conflict in Syria in 2011, Syrian refugee children have withstood violence, uncertainty, fear, trauma and loss. This book follows their journeys by bringing together scholars and practitioners to reflect on how to make their situation better and to get this knowledge to as many front liners - across European and neighbouring countries in the Middle East - as possible. The book is premised on the underlying conception of refugee children as not merely a vulnerable contingent of the displaced Syrian population, but one that possesses a certain agency for change and progress. In this vein, the various contributions aim to not just de-securitize the ‘conversation’ on migration that frequently centres on the presumed insecurity that refugees personify. They also de-securitize the figure and image of the refugee. Through the stories of the youngest and most vulnerable, they demonstrate that refugee children are not mere opaque figures on who we project our insecurities. Instead, they embody potentials and opportunities for progress that we need to nurture, as young refugees find themselves compelled to both negotiate the practical realities of a life in exile, and situate themselves in changing and unfamiliar sociocultural contexts. Drawing on extensive field research, this edited volume points in the direction of a new rights based framework which will safeguard the future of these children and their well-being.Offering a comparative lens between approaches to tackling refugees in the Middle East and Europe, this book will appeal to students and scholars of refugees and migration studies, human rights, as well as anyone with an interest in the Middle East or Europe.

Addressing one of the most pressing issues of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) that is still unresolved almost 30 years later, this book adopts a political, sociological, and anthropological approach to look at periods of transition from conflict to peace in Lebanon. Inducing a set of questions about the social and political system, the post-conflict state has been pushing for a politics of amnesty and amnesia. The case study delves into the notion of transition from conflict to peace in Lebanon by looking in the case of the estimated 17,000 people who disappeared during the Civil War. Using the concept of liminality to understand the evolution of the issue over the years, the book follows the trajectory of the relatives of the missing, who have formed a communitas – a group sharing strong feelings of comradeship and brother/sisterhood by virtue of finding themselves in the same situation.Offering a novel way of looking at transitions, the book is a significant contribution to peace studies, and it will be an interest of students and academics working in human rights, political science, and the Middle East disciplines.

Providing an inclusive, yet multi- layered perspective on leisure cultures in dynamic hegemonic, subcultural, and countercultural communities, this volume investigates the disciplinary and interdisciplinary aspects of leisure studies in the age of mass migration, nationalism, cultural wars, and conflicted societies in Israel.Israeli society has struggled with complicated geopolitical, intercultural, economic, and security conditions since the establishment of the State of Israel. Consequently, the emergent leisure cultures in Israel are vibrant, diversified, exuberant, and multifaceted, oscillating between Western and Middle Eastern tendencies. The chapters in this edited volume reflect dramatic influences of globalization on Israeli traditions, on one hand, and emergent local practices that reflect a communal quest of originality and authenticity, on the other hand. This book opens up a critical perspective on the tension between contested leisure cultures that are interconnected with spatial and temporal changes and interchanges.Examining leisure as a part of social, interethnic, physical, gendered, and sexual changes, the volume is a key text for scholars and students interested in leisure culture, Israeli society, education, cultural and media studies, and the Middle East.

The failure of reform policies in areas of critical importance to Arab populations such as health and education played a central role in igniting the Arab Awakening, yet this policy perspective has been largely absent from recent studies of the region. Arab regimes most reliant on repression to guarantee their survival were also those most vulnerable to mass politics. Where threats to regime survival have been limited, so have more meaningful reforms been possible, finding an alternative to political change through focusing on "soft policy" areas such as education. A Political Economy of Arab Education offers a comprehensive analysis of K-12 education systems in Arab countries, deepening understanding of their administrative structures and outcomes, and exploring how political considerations have impacted the ability of Arab regimes to engage in meaningful reform. Taking a unique comparative political economy perspective, it examines the reasons behind policy stagnation in Arab countries, addressing the effects of size, history and political stability on the design and implementation of policies and administrative structures. Its informed analysis and comparison of education systems provides new insight into Arab regimes and highlights factors pulling them towards either stagnation or reform. Examining the sustainability of reforms and establishing the benefits of engaging in meaningful change, this book sheds light on why some regimes survived the Arab Spring while others crumbled and formulates convincing predictions on the potential for future regime change in the region. This book will be of key interest to students and scholars of Middle Eastern Studies, International and Comparative Education and Development Studies.

No other crisis in Africa has received as much attention in the West during the past 10 years as the war in Darfur, yet the underlying complexities of the war and the background to the crisis remains poorly understood by scholars, activists and aid workers. This anthropological study of the war in Darfur explores the personal experience of war from the perspective of those refugees who have fled from it and puts forward potential solutions to the conflict. Drawing on ethnographic research carried out in the refugee camps of neighbouring eastern Chad,The War in Darfur: Reclaiming Sudanese History gives a voice to people who to date have had little opportunity to articulate their experiences. Through facilitating the telling of the refugees’ tale, examining what happened and how, this book will be an interesting contribution to the areas of refugee studies, anthropology and history.

A comprehensive and up to date study of the history of education in Afghanistan since 1901, this book demonstrates how modern education emerged and charts its fluctuating process of development, regression and destruction.Combining historical and contemporary analysis of key international and national, political, and historical issues from the late nineteenth century to the present day, Education in Afghanistan examines; religion, modernism, tribal and ethnic conflict, language discrimination, foreign invasions, war, and international assistance through the lens of education. An in-depth understanding of these elements will provide alternative approaches to addressing the on-going conflict in Afghanistan, which has a direct effect on the overall educational development and policy-making decisions in the country.Offering a new perspective to the conflict in Afghanistan by addressing its impact on education, this book will be an invaluable resource for students and researchers interested in the formation of education policy, social and political reform in the Middle East, and Islamic Studies.

For many years before and after the establishment of the state of Israel, the belief that Israel is a western state remained unchallenged. This belief was founded on the predominantly western composition of the pre-statehood Jewish community known as the Yishuv. The relatively homogenous membership of Israeli/Jewish society as it then existed was soon altered with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants from Middle Eastern countries during the early years of statehood. Seeking to retain the western character of the Jewish state, the Israeli government initiated a massive acculturation project aimed at westernizing the newcomers.More recently, scholars and intellectuals began to question the validity and logic of that campaign. With the emergence of new forms of identity, or identities, two central questions emerged: to what extent can we accept the ways in which people define themselves? And on a more fundamental level, what weight should we give to the ways in which people define themselves? This book suggests ways of tackling these questions and provides varying perspectives on identity, put forward by scholars interested in the changing nature of Israeli identity. Their observations and conclusions are not exclusive, but inclusive, suggesting that there cannot be one single Israeli identity, but several.Tackling the issue of identity, this multidisciplinary approach is an important contribution to existing literature and will be invaluable for scholars and students interested in cultural studies, Israel, and the wider Middle East.

Since the start of the conflict in Syria in 2011, Syrian refugee children have withstood violence, uncertainty, fear, trauma and loss. This book follows their journeys by bringing together scholars and practitioners to reflect on how to make their situation better and to get this knowledge to as many front liners - across European and neighbouring countries in the Middle East - as possible. The book is premised on the underlying conception of refugee children as not merely a vulnerable contingent of the displaced Syrian population, but one that possesses a certain agency for change and progress. In this vein, the various contributions aim to not just de-securitize the ‘conversation’ on migration that frequently centres on the presumed insecurity that refugees personify. They also de-securitize the figure and image of the refugee. Through the stories of the youngest and most vulnerable, they demonstrate that refugee children are not mere opaque figures on who we project our insecurities. Instead, they embody potentials and opportunities for progress that we need to nurture, as young refugees find themselves compelled to both negotiate the practical realities of a life in exile, and situate themselves in changing and unfamiliar sociocultural contexts. Drawing on extensive field research, this edited volume points in the direction of a new rights based framework which will safeguard the future of these children and their well-being.Offering a comparative lens between approaches to tackling refugees in the Middle East and Europe, this book will appeal to students and scholars of refugees and migration studies, human rights, as well as anyone with an interest in the Middle East or Europe.

A comprehensive and up to date study of the history of education in Afghanistan since 1901, this book demonstrates how modern education emerged and charts its fluctuating process of development, regression and destruction.Combining historical and contemporary analysis of key international and national, political, and historical issues from the late nineteenth century to the present day, Education in Afghanistan examines; religion, modernism, tribal and ethnic conflict, language discrimination, foreign invasions, war, and international assistance through the lens of education. An in-depth understanding of these elements will provide alternative approaches to addressing the on-going conflict in Afghanistan, which has a direct effect on the overall educational development and policy-making decisions in the country.Offering a new perspective to the conflict in Afghanistan by addressing its impact on education, this book will be an invaluable resource for students and researchers interested in the formation of education policy, social and political reform in the Middle East, and Islamic Studies.

For many years before and after the establishment of the state of Israel, the belief that Israel is a western state remained unchallenged. This belief was founded on the predominantly western composition of the pre-statehood Jewish community known as the Yishuv. The relatively homogenous membership of Israeli/Jewish society as it then existed was soon altered with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants from Middle Eastern countries during the early years of statehood. Seeking to retain the western character of the Jewish state, the Israeli government initiated a massive acculturation project aimed at westernizing the newcomers.More recently, scholars and intellectuals began to question the validity and logic of that campaign. With the emergence of new forms of identity, or identities, two central questions emerged: to what extent can we accept the ways in which people define themselves? And on a more fundamental level, what weight should we give to the ways in which people define themselves? This book suggests ways of tackling these questions and provides varying perspectives on identity, put forward by scholars interested in the changing nature of Israeli identity. Their observations and conclusions are not exclusive, but inclusive, suggesting that there cannot be one single Israeli identity, but several.Tackling the issue of identity, this multidisciplinary approach is an important contribution to existing literature and will be invaluable for scholars and students interested in cultural studies, Israel, and the wider Middle East.

Based on interview material, observations and content analysis, this book captures the everyday life structures of a cohort of Muslim/ex-Islamist female youth in Egypt who have joined or established new networks that share the common interest of doing ‘good’ to the society based on their religious worldviews, representing a broader societal movement.Female Youth in Contemporary Egypt posits that despite the fact that the 2011 Egyptian uprisings did not necessarily materialize with the political effects anticipated by some of its activists, it seems to have led to the formation of a new generation of active youth with a distinct worldview. Four broad and intertwined theoretical considerations have been taken into account. First, the book delineates the emergence and continuous development of post- (and sometimes non-) bourgeois public spheres in Arabo-Islamic contexts and conceptualizes multiple publics of overlapping Islamic structures rather than one Islamic public. Second, it offers an empirical as well as a conceptual understanding of the positioning of religion as public/private. Third, it presents a critique of Islamist thought conducive to the rise of post-Islamism; and fourth it offers a critique of feminist thought to throw light on novel forms of Muslim women's discourses and activism in line with post-Islamist worldviews.This book will be of interest to scholars in Middle Eastern Studies, women’s studies, and political studies.

Based on interview material, observations and content analysis, this book captures the everyday life structures of a cohort of Muslim/ex-Islamist female youth in Egypt who have joined or established new networks that share the common interest of doing ‘good’ to the society based on their religious worldviews, representing a broader societal movement.Female Youth in Contemporary Egypt posits that despite the fact that the 2011 Egyptian uprisings did not necessarily materialize with the political effects anticipated by some of its activists, it seems to have led to the formation of a new generation of active youth with a distinct worldview. Four broad and intertwined theoretical considerations have been taken into account. First, the book delineates the emergence and continuous development of post- (and sometimes non-) bourgeois public spheres in Arabo-Islamic contexts and conceptualizes multiple publics of overlapping Islamic structures rather than one Islamic public. Second, it offers an empirical as well as a conceptual understanding of the positioning of religion as public/private. Third, it presents a critique of Islamist thought conducive to the rise of post-Islamism; and fourth it offers a critique of feminist thought to throw light on novel forms of Muslim women's discourses and activism in line with post-Islamist worldviews.This book will be of interest to scholars in Middle Eastern Studies, women’s studies, and political studies.

Focusing on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which comprises some of the world’s richest countries next to some of the poorest, this book offers excellent insights into the discriminatory consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.With a geographic focus on the MENA region, the multidisciplinary case studies collected in this edited volume reveal that the coronavirus’s impact patterns are a question of two variables: governance performance and socioeconomic potency. Given the global, unprecedented, complex, and systemic nature of COVID-19 – and its long-term implications for societies, governments, international organisations, citizens and corporations – this volume entails a relevance to regions undergoing similar dynamics. Analyses in the book, therefore, have implications for the comparative study of the pandemic and its impact on societies around the globe. Understanding related dynamics and implications, and making use of lessons learned, are a pathway to deal with future similar crises. Questions covered in the volume are relevant to geopolitics, social implications and the relations between political leaders and citizens as beings embedded in various strategies of communication. The volume will appeal to scholars of international politics, political science, risk or crisis governance, economics and sociology, human rights and security, political communication and public health.The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution- Non Commercial- No Derivatives 4.0 licence.

Focusing on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which comprises some of the world’s richest countries next to some of the poorest, this book offers excellent insights into the discriminatory consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.With a geographic focus on the MENA region, the multidisciplinary case studies collected in this edited volume reveal that the coronavirus’s impact patterns are a question of two variables: governance performance and socioeconomic potency. Given the global, unprecedented, complex, and systemic nature of COVID-19 – and its long-term implications for societies, governments, international organisations, citizens and corporations – this volume entails a relevance to regions undergoing similar dynamics. Analyses in the book, therefore, have implications for the comparative study of the pandemic and its impact on societies around the globe. Understanding related dynamics and implications, and making use of lessons learned, are a pathway to deal with future similar crises. Questions covered in the volume are relevant to geopolitics, social implications and the relations between political leaders and citizens as beings embedded in various strategies of communication. The volume will appeal to scholars of international politics, political science, risk or crisis governance, economics and sociology, human rights and security, political communication and public health.The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution- Non Commercial- No Derivatives 4.0 licence.

Providing an inclusive, yet multi- layered perspective on leisure cultures in dynamic hegemonic, subcultural, and countercultural communities, this volume investigates the disciplinary and interdisciplinary aspects of leisure studies in the age of mass migration, nationalism, cultural wars, and conflicted societies in Israel.Israeli society has struggled with complicated geopolitical, intercultural, economic, and security conditions since the establishment of the State of Israel. Consequently, the emergent leisure cultures in Israel are vibrant, diversified, exuberant, and multifaceted, oscillating between Western and Middle Eastern tendencies. The chapters in this edited volume reflect dramatic influences of globalization on Israeli traditions, on one hand, and emergent local practices that reflect a communal quest of originality and authenticity, on the other hand. This book opens up a critical perspective on the tension between contested leisure cultures that are interconnected with spatial and temporal changes and interchanges.Examining leisure as a part of social, interethnic, physical, gendered, and sexual changes, the volume is a key text for scholars and students interested in leisure culture, Israeli society, education, cultural and media studies, and the Middle East.

Exploring the fascinating history behind Iranian-Jewish immigration to Israel, this book offers a rare and untold history of one of Israel’s Middle Eastern Jewish populations.Over the 20th century, thousands among Iran’s Jewish community left their ancestral homes and immigrated to the Jewish State, while thousands of others remained in Iran, even after the birth of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Using firsthand narratives, the evolution of Zionist activities and recruitment in Iran over the last century is covered, alongside an Iranian-Jewish population that, unlike other Middle Eastern Jewish communities, did not ultimately arrive in the Holy Land as a majority of their community. For those that did arrive (or, make aliyah) the Israeli nation-building process had unique ramifications. The integrative process and current status of the Iranian community in Israel is also examined, providing an intimate picture of Iranian life in Israel, nearly 75 years after Israel’s establishment.A natural addition to any collection on Jewish or Israeli history and essential reading for a full understanding of Iran–Israel relations, enthusiasts of Israeli nation-building and affairs, as well as Iranian history, demographics, and politics will find this book invaluable.

Exploring the fascinating history behind Iranian-Jewish immigration to Israel, this book offers a rare and untold history of one of Israel’s Middle Eastern Jewish populations.Over the 20th century, thousands among Iran’s Jewish community left their ancestral homes and immigrated to the Jewish State, while thousands of others remained in Iran, even after the birth of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Using firsthand narratives, the evolution of Zionist activities and recruitment in Iran over the last century is covered, alongside an Iranian-Jewish population that, unlike other Middle Eastern Jewish communities, did not ultimately arrive in the Holy Land as a majority of their community. For those that did arrive (or, make aliyah) the Israeli nation-building process had unique ramifications. The integrative process and current status of the Iranian community in Israel is also examined, providing an intimate picture of Iranian life in Israel, nearly 75 years after Israel’s establishment.A natural addition to any collection on Jewish or Israeli history and essential reading for a full understanding of Iran–Israel relations, enthusiasts of Israeli nation-building and affairs, as well as Iranian history, demographics, and politics will find this book invaluable.

This book explores the complex relationship between urban space and displacement in Turkey. It evaluates how the displacement of people and cultures has affected the spatiotemporal landscapes of the nation at different periods of contemporary Turkey, with an emphasis on various narratives of the relocating population and their relationship to the environment.Contemporary cities are constantly changing due to the movement of people from different regions, resulting in shifting population patterns globally. Understanding displacement and its effects on space are crucial in studying this phenomenon, as it not only involves the physical relocation of individuals, but also the transfer of cultural practices within a condensed timeframe. This process changes the destination of settlements irreversibly. This book takes a methodological approach and disclinary approach, examining the migration and displacement of people and its effects upon art, architecture, culture and politics in Turkish cities.This book will be of interest to students and scholars interested in migration and its effects on cities, urban planning and architecture.

This book explores the complex relationship between urban space and displacement in Turkey. It evaluates how the displacement of people and cultures has affected the spatiotemporal landscapes of the nation at different periods of contemporary Turkey, with an emphasis on various narratives of the relocating population and their relationship to the environment.Contemporary cities are constantly changing due to the movement of people from different regions, resulting in shifting population patterns globally. Understanding displacement and its effects on space are crucial in studying this phenomenon, as it not only involves the physical relocation of individuals, but also the transfer of cultural practices within a condensed timeframe. This process changes the destination of settlements irreversibly. This book takes a methodological approach and disclinary approach, examining the migration and displacement of people and its effects upon art, architecture, culture and politics in Turkish cities.This book will be of interest to students and scholars interested in migration and its effects on cities, urban planning and architecture.

This book provides a critical examination of the problem of underage marriage in Türkiye through a sociological perspective considering gender perceptions, cultural norms, and historical and political contexts.The author conducts a comprehensive analysis of the problem by focusing on the lived experiences and narratives of women who married before the age of 18. Face-to-face, in-depth, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 women who married at a child age to identify the causes and consequences of the marriage of underage girls and to explore how these women perceive both their own identities and the broader issue of child marriage. Employing critical discourse analysis, the author scrutinizes these interviews through the theoretical lenses of gender, identity, and ideology, all while remaining attuned to feminist perspectives. These combined methodologies allow the author to reveal the hidden dimensions of the problem, examining the feelings, stories, behaviours, and beliefs of real women who have married as children. Finally, constructive solutions are proposed for the elimination of the child marriage problem, not only in Türkiye, but in countries across the world.The book will interest those working and studying in an array of fields, including sociology, gender studies, and Turkish culture and society, as well as anyone with a general interest in the problem of underage marriage.

This book provides a critical examination of the problem of underage marriage in Türkiye through a sociological perspective considering gender perceptions, cultural norms, and historical and political contexts.The author conducts a comprehensive analysis of the problem by focusing on the lived experiences and narratives of women who married before the age of 18. Face-to-face, in-depth, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 women who married at a child age to identify the causes and consequences of the marriage of underage girls and to explore how these women perceive both their own identities and the broader issue of child marriage. Employing critical discourse analysis, the author scrutinizes these interviews through the theoretical lenses of gender, identity, and ideology, all while remaining attuned to feminist perspectives. These combined methodologies allow the author to reveal the hidden dimensions of the problem, examining the feelings, stories, behaviours, and beliefs of real women who have married as children. Finally, constructive solutions are proposed for the elimination of the child marriage problem, not only in Türkiye, but in countries across the world.The book will interest those working and studying in an array of fields, including sociology, gender studies, and Turkish culture and society, as well as anyone with a general interest in the problem of underage marriage.

This book explores the Moroccan Rif and the city of Al Hoceima, combining local voices and ethnographic insights to provide a comprehensive and unique overview of the multifaceted dynamics of the Mediterranean region.The focus of the book is on the society, culture, and people of the region, namely the Rifians. Throughout, their voices are interwoven with first-hand ethnographic data, geographical, ethnohistorical, and anthropological insights, as well as 100 photographs, giving the reader an in-depth understanding of Rifian society and culture. The book also considers other themes, including maritime and mountain economies, ecologies in times of climatic change, transregional entanglements, migration, and the tense relationship between the Rif's inhabitants and the Moroccan monarchy. This book places particular emphasis on the generation of young Rifians who took to the streets in 2016–17 after the tragic death of a fishmonger in Al Hoceima. After months of protests involving thousands of people, at times spreading to other cities in Morocco and as far as Europe, the Makhzen, the power elite that governs Morocco, eventually took back the stage and crushed the popular protest movement. Today, despite the apparent calm, the situation in the region remains tense beneath the surface.Examining a wide range of topics related to the Rifians in northern Morocco, the book will appeal to anyone interested in the Mediterranean region, Middle Eastern society, and anthropology.

This book explores the Moroccan Rif and the city of Al Hoceima, combining local voices and ethnographic insights to provide a comprehensive and unique overview of the multifaceted dynamics of the Mediterranean region.The focus of the book is on the society, culture, and people of the region, namely the Rifians. Throughout, their voices are interwoven with first-hand ethnographic data, geographical, ethnohistorical, and anthropological insights, as well as 100 photographs, giving the reader an in-depth understanding of Rifian society and culture. The book also considers other themes, including maritime and mountain economies, ecologies in times of climatic change, transregional entanglements, migration, and the tense relationship between the Rif's inhabitants and the Moroccan monarchy. This book places particular emphasis on the generation of young Rifians who took to the streets in 2016–17 after the tragic death of a fishmonger in Al Hoceima. After months of protests involving thousands of people, at times spreading to other cities in Morocco and as far as Europe, the Makhzen, the power elite that governs Morocco, eventually took back the stage and crushed the popular protest movement. Today, despite the apparent calm, the situation in the region remains tense beneath the surface.Examining a wide range of topics related to the Rifians in northern Morocco, the book will appeal to anyone interested in the Mediterranean region, Middle Eastern society, and anthropology.

Everyday Life in the Old City of Jerusalem: Historical Transformations and Biographical Emplacements offers an intimate, ground-level exploration of everyday life in one of the world’s most contested and symbolically charged urban spaces.Moving beyond the dominant focus on Jerusalem’s political and religious significance, this book examines how individuals and communities navigate the complex realities of emplacement within the Old City’s dense and shifting environment. Through a unique combination of biographical narratives and spatial sociology, the chapters investigate how personal life stories intersect with urban space, family ties, political occupation, religious identity, and social hierarchies. From small neighbourhood dynamics and the challenges faced by Palestinians in the enlarged Jewish Quarter, to the involuntary emplacement of international monks, the book uncovers the diverse ways inhabitants experience belonging, exclusion, and adaptation in Jerusalem’s Old City. It also traces the city’s evolving socio-political landscape since 1948, offering a rich, historically informed account of daily life under occupation and intercommunal tension.A significant contribution to urban studies, Middle East studies, and the sociology of space, this book is essential reading for scholars of Jerusalem, conflict studies, and the lived experiences of divided cities.

Digital Feminist Activism in Turkey explores how feminist movements navigate the promises and pressures of digital politics in an increasingly authoritarian environment.Across the globe, feminist activists have turned to digital platforms to mobilise supporters, expose violence, challenge misogynistic policies, and build transnational solidarities. Focusing on Turkey, this book approaches digital feminist activism through the lens of labour, foregrounding the often-invisible emotional, organisational, and technological work that sustains online resistance. It examines how activists communicate, organise, and create counter-publics under conditions of censorship, surveillance, and political repression. By analysing the structural constraints and strategic adaptations that shape feminist digital engagement, this study highlights both the empowering potential and the exploitative dimensions of digital activism.This book will appeal to scholars and students of gender studies, social movements, media and communication, and Middle East politics, as well as activists and practitioners interested in the evolving relationship between feminism and digital labour.

Addressing one of the most pressing issues of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) that is still unresolved almost 30 years later, this book adopts a political, sociological, and anthropological approach to look at periods of transition from conflict to peace in Lebanon. Inducing a set of questions about the social and political system, the post-conflict state has been pushing for a politics of amnesty and amnesia. The case study delves into the notion of transition from conflict to peace in Lebanon by looking in the case of the estimated 17,000 people who disappeared during the Civil War. Using the concept of liminality to understand the evolution of the issue over the years, the book follows the trajectory of the relatives of the missing, who have formed a communitas – a group sharing strong feelings of comradeship and brother/sisterhood by virtue of finding themselves in the same situation.Offering a novel way of looking at transitions, the book is a significant contribution to peace studies, and it will be an interest of students and academics working in human rights, political science, and the Middle East disciplines.

The failure of reform policies in areas of critical importance to Arab populations such as health and education played a central role in igniting the Arab Awakening, yet this policy perspective has been largely absent from recent studies of the region. Arab regimes most reliant on repression to guarantee their survival were also those most vulnerable to mass politics. Where threats to regime survival have been limited, so have more meaningful reforms been possible, finding an alternative to political change through focusing on "soft policy" areas such as education. A Political Economy of Arab Education offers a comprehensive analysis of K-12 education systems in Arab countries, deepening understanding of their administrative structures and outcomes, and exploring how political considerations have impacted the ability of Arab regimes to engage in meaningful reform. Taking a unique comparative political economy perspective, it examines the reasons behind policy stagnation in Arab countries, addressing the effects of size, history and political stability on the design and implementation of policies and administrative structures. Its informed analysis and comparison of education systems provides new insight into Arab regimes and highlights factors pulling them towards either stagnation or reform. Examining the sustainability of reforms and establishing the benefits of engaging in meaningful change, this book sheds light on why some regimes survived the Arab Spring while others crumbled and formulates convincing predictions on the potential for future regime change in the region. This book will be of key interest to students and scholars of Middle Eastern Studies, International and Comparative Education and Development Studies.