This collection seeks to advance our understanding of intra-Islamic identity conflict during a period of upheaval in the Middle East. Instead of treating distinctions between and within Sunni and Shia Islam as primordial and immutable, it examines how political economy, geopolitics, domestic governance, social media, non- and sub-state groups, and clerical elites have affected the transformation and diffusion of sectarian identities. Particular attention is paid to how conflicts over distribution of political and economic power have taken on a sectarian quality, and how a variety of actors have instrumentalized sectarianism. The volume, covering Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, Iran, and Egypt, includes contributors from a broad array of disciplines including political science, history, sociology, and Islamic studies. Beyond Sunni and Shia draws on extensive fieldwork and primary sources to offer insights that are empirically rich and theoretically grounded, but also accessible for policy audiences and the informed public.

This book critically analyses the topic of US-led external interventions in the affairs of developing countries by using one of the most contested experiments of modern times, namely, the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath. The March 2003 invasion of Iraq has so far failed to deliver the benefits and outcomes its supporters anticipated, prompting international discussion as to whether the promises of externally-led nation-building (as an attempt to mould rogue states in a democratic, market-friendly fashion) are outweighed by the kinds of pitfalls and perils of intervention that have come to characterise the Iraq experience. This book identifies and addresses the major issues emerging from the current debate including the evolution of external interventionism as an idea, an explanation of what went wrong in post-Saddam Iraq and why the Iraq experiment is flawed by the Bush administration's refusal to address long standing political and historical grievances among Muslims as part of the 'War on Terror'. The contributors assess the troubled relationship between Islam and the West, the prospects for democracy in the Middle East, foreign policy debates in the US, and how economics and politics are juxtaposed in a highly contentious manner in any project of externally-driven nation-building. Beyond the Iraq War brings together scholars and practitioners in an attempt to move beyond the polemical dimensions of the existing debate and provide a balanced analysis of what the Iraq enterprise can tell us about the brand of external interventionism espoused by the Bush administration and also the lessons it holds for any future interventions into the affairs of states. It combines a mix of disciplines, most notably international relations and economics as well as theory and empirical evidence. The book is written in a non-technical, but rigorous, manner in order to make complex and diverse issues accessible to the general reader. This fascinating and scholarly work will appeal to academics and scholars in the fields of political economics, political science and international relations. Policymakers, journalists and media commentators will also find this work to be of great interest and value.

Contrary to the conventional wisdom held by many, not only the dominance of the U.S. in the post-Cold War era is much exaggerated, but also its days as a hyper-power are ending. Instead, the world is slowly but steadily evolving towards what Dr. Baofu originally calls the dawn of 'the post-post-Cold War era' in 'the world of titans' for a tremendous remaking of world order, to be governed by different types of empires crossing regional borders. This has important implications for understanding the logic of empire-building, be it in the past, present, or future, to the extent that the current theoretical debate on international relations among different paradigms is as much misleading as obsolete. The current debate also obscures something more tremendous in the long run, in relation to the emergence of what Dr. Baofu proposes as 'the union of the unions' in the farther future that humans have never known, both here on earth and later in deep space.

In these collected dispatches, Jamail presents never-before-published details of the siege of Fallujah and examines the origins of the Iraqi insurgency.

The book addresses searching questions non-Muslims ask about issues of violence and sexism among some Muslims. Saleem contrasts between the Qur?an the Muslims holy book approved by prophet Muhammad, and Hadeeth Muhammad?s purported sayings compiled hundreds of years after his death. Ahmed suggests that Muhammad?s sayings may have been misinterpreted, taken out of context or some even fabricated. The Qur?an is also contrasted with the Jewish and Christian scriptures.

An undergraduate level text integrating scientific and statistical data with anecdotes and personal experiences to identify stressful situations, understand human responses to them, and choose ways of dealing with the emotional and psychological arousal of stress. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Headscarves in schools. Ethnic gang rapists. Domestic violence in Indigenous communities. Polygamy. Sharia law. It seems that in public debates around the world, concerns about marginalised communities often revolve around issues of gender and womenâ (TM)s rights. Yet all too often, discussions about complex matters are reduced to simplistic debates such as â oehijab: to ban or not to ban?â or â oeMuslim women: oppressed or liberated?â . This collection provides a space for in-depth analyses on the politics of gender, race and religion. As well as critical reflections on images and experiences of Muslim women, chapters also explore the relationships between gender, violence and protection, and offer innovative possibilities for intellectual and practical understandings at the intersection of gender, race and religion. Essential reading for scholars and students of gender and womenâ (TM)s studies, cultural studies, racial and ethnic studies, religious studies and an educated public interested in understanding the challenges and possibilities of tackling both racism and the oppression of women.

This book provides the archaeological history of what is now known as the Trans-Himalayan Zone. Author Karl Jettmar has based his book on the numerous expeditions he undertook in this region.