Keys to Understanding the Middle East

This book is intended for readers who have never studied the Middle East, or want to improve their knowledge of the region. It is based on introductory and graduate courses on the contemporary Middle East, which the Center’s director, Dr. Alam Payind, has been teaching for the past 30 years. The book’s co-author, Melinda McClimans, has taught these and other courses with him, as well as her own, for the past 15 years.  Whether the reader is a novice or an advanced learner, however, the authors consider the fundamentals in the e-book to be of universal value and importance.  The text focuses on the languages, cultural, religious and sectarian communities of the region, and turning points in history.  These are the keys for understanding the region referred to in the title, whether for establishing or deepening one’s knowledge of the region.  The material is intended engage with diverse cultural and historical perspectives, and ways of perceiving both Middle Eastern and world history from perspectives within the region.  It is not intended to reinforce a monolithic or matter-of-fact perception of the region. For this and many other reasons, images are an important aspect of the knowledge presented.  Each chapter starts with links to its image galleries, along with other visual aids and key elements.