The D-8 (Developing Eight) organisation was officially formed in 1997 and has Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey as full members. The D-8 economies encompass nearly 62% of the Muslim population or about 1.17 billion people globally. The economic, cultural, social, political and geographical diversity that exists amongst the D-8 member countries differs radically from other Muslim or regional blocks. Furthermore, D-8 member countries are developing economies that do not solely rely on oil, ancient civilizations, or roles as historical powerhouses, but their populations aspire to be better educated, scientifically more advanced, have higher incomes and improved human rights. It is imperative to study the implications of these developments for cultural identity and life quality. This book studies the contemporary socio-economic developments and challenges faced by D-8 countries. It explores questions on the socio-economic and political formation, sustainability, economic participation, and the vitality of the D-8 member countries. It deepens our understanding of recent global economic systems and governance, and suggests areas for future research and publications.

The classical economic theory fails to truly describe the economies of prosperous societies. This is because traditional economics deals with the allocation of resources in conditions of shortage, while the urgent economic problems of a prosperous society are mainly associated with conditions of abundance.This book presents the hallmarks of a prosperous society and analyzes the special problems that it faces. It differentiates between the two types of economies: the traditional one which is based on scarcity, and the prosperous economy which is able to fulfill almost everyone's needs. The book analyzes what motivates these two types of economies, what challenges them, and what features or manifestations of success and failures characterize their current statuses and their futures.This book is an original and pioneering work. It analyzes the economy of the prosperous society from the perspective of the third decade of the 21st century. It is an interesting, engaging text on a theme that we seldom see and read about.

According to World Bank (2021), the economic recovery post-COVID-19 in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has been uneven and tumultuous. Reasons for this include exposure to oil-price fluctuations, the impact of pandemic, public demonstrations, and political instability. Although the MENA region encompasses a variety of countries — wealthy, stable and oil-rich countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar as well as less secure countries such as Iraq and Syria — it plays an important role in the global economy.Handbook of Banking and Finance in the MENA Region explores the trends in finance and banking of the MENA region, including theoretical and empirical perspectives from researchers around the globe. The first part of the book explores numerous reforms in the region's banking and finance, including digital technology, financial technology (fintech) and green finance. While financial inclusion in the Gulf Cooperation Council is much higher, the other countries in the MENA region have yet to overcome this trend, and the second part of the book provides specific case studies of ways in which banks have contributed to the region. The final section of the book considers macroeconomic factors and financial development. Together these perspectives enrich the discussion of facts and development challenges in the finance and banking of the MENA region as a whole.

This is the first of its kind in its topical coverage of the developments and prospects of Islamic finance education at Western higher education. Intended to establish itself as a unique reference for academics and researchers this book gives an insight into ethics and values in curricula development at business schools and in finance departments.

This edited volume offers an understanding of how the international community, as a collection of significant actors including major states and intergovernmental institutions, has responded to the important political and social development of the Arab Spring. Contributors analyze the response by international organizations (UN, EU, NATO), big powers (US, Russia, China, UK), regional powers (Turkey, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia) and small powers (Kuwait, Qatar). The book thus makes a sound contribution to the existing literature on the Arab Spring in form of foreign policy analysis and provides an overview of the current shape and outlook of global politics.

Zahid Shahab Ahmed evaluates the progress of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). This study goes beyond economic integration to present a detailed appraisal of cooperation under the overarching themes of economic cooperation, environmental security, human welfare, and cooperation in security matters. According to the author, SAARC is making progress in addressing the myriad of issues on its agenda. The transition from agreements to actions and frequent interactions among the member states has boosted confidence. The progress of SAARC is more evident in the less controversial areas of human security, such as poverty alleviation, health and safety, human resources development, and higher education. Notwithstanding enthusiastic commitments reflected in agreements and action plans, there is a gulf between rhetoric and implementation most notably in sensitive areas relating to traditional security. In the light of the findings of this study, the author proposes that greater cooperation in common human security areas has a potential to pave the way for a cooperation on issues of a ’contentious’ nature, particularly terrorism.

Between Integration and Secession asks whether Muslim minorities can co-exist with the majority and other cultures within non-Muslim states. Moshe Yegar's excellent new work examines the radicalization of Muslim communities during the nationalist fervor that swept southeast Asia in the aftermath of World War II. The book's grand historical scope traces the theological and political impact of the postwar Islamic renaissance on the creation of Muslim separatist tendencies and heightened religious consciousness. Drawing on a wealth of archival and secondary sources, Yegar examines three cases of rebellion in Muslim minorities: in the Philippines, in Thailand, and in Burma/Myanmar. He studies the communities' struggle to define their aims-be it for communal separation, autonomy, or independence-and the means each has at their disposal to achieve them.

This book is a comprehensive analysis of Turkish foreign policy through the concept of “middle power”. The author explores why and how Turkey has constructed middle power identity based on liberal foreign policies, in order to illuminate the change in post-Cold War Turkish state identity in relation to foreign policy behaviors. The author further explores state identity and how changes of circumstances, norms, state self-perception, and the perceptions of others effects that identity. This is done first through a policy analysis of Turgut Özal, Necmettin Erbakan and İsmail Cem and second through an examination of AKP’s foreign policy experiences and ideas, especially in relation to Ahmet Davutoğlu.

The convenience of online shopping has driven consumers to turn to the internet to purchase everything from clothing to housewares and even groceries. The ubiquity of online retail stores and availability of hard-to-find products in the digital marketplace has been a catalyst for a heighted interest in research on the best methods, techniques, and strategies for remaining competitive in the era of e-commerce. The Encyclopedia of E-Commerce Development, Implementation, and Management is an authoritative reference source highlighting crucial topics relating to effective business models, managerial strategies, promotional initiatives, development methodologies, and end-user considerations in the online commerce sphere. Emphasizing emerging research on up-and-coming topics such as social commerce, the Internet of Things, online gaming, digital products, and mobile services, this multi-volume encyclopedia is an essential addition to the reference collection of both academic and corporate libraries and caters to the research needs of graduate-level students, researchers, IT developers, and business professionals. .

Should schools attempt to cultivate patriotism? If so, why? And what conception of patriotism should drive those efforts? Is patriotism essential to preserving national unity, sustaining vigorous commitment to just institutions, or motivating national service? Are the hazards of patriotism so great as to overshadow its potential benefits? Is there a genuinely virtuous form of patriotism that societies and schools should strive to cultivate? In Patriotic Education in a Global Age, philosopher Randall Curren and historian Charles Dorn address these questions as they seek to understand what role patriotism might legitimately play in schools as an aspect of civic education. They trace the aims and rationales that have guided the inculcation of patriotism in American schools over the years, the methods by which schools have sought to cultivate patriotism, and the conceptions of patriotism at work in those aims, rationales, and methods. They then examine what those conceptions mean for justice, education, and human flourishing. Though the history of attempts to cultivate patriotism in schools offers both positive and cautionary lessons, Curren and Dorn ultimately argue that a civic education organized around three components of civic virtue—intelligence, friendship, and competence—and an inclusive and enabling school community can contribute to the development of a virtuous form of patriotism that is compatible with equal citizenship, reasoned dissent, global justice, and devotion to the health of democratic institutions and the natural environment. Patriotic Education in a Global Age mounts a spirited defense of democratic institutions as it situates an understanding of patriotism in the context of nationalist, populist, and authoritarian movements in the United States and Europe, and will be of interest to anyone concerned about polarization in public life and the future of democracy.