Sites of pluralism : community politics in the Middle East / edited by Firat Oruc.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Oruc, Firat, editor.

Anne and Joseph Trachtman Memorial Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Communalism.

Politics and government.

Middle East--Politics and government--21st century.

Middle East.

Communalism--Middle East.

Physical Description:

xii, 259 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Oxford University Press, 2019.

Summary:

Scholars and policymakers, struggling to make sense of the ongoing chaos in the Middle East, have focused on the possible causes of the escalation in both interstate and intrastate conflict. But the Arab Spring has shown the urgent need for new ways to frame difference, both practically and theoretically. For some, a fundamental incompatibility between different ethno-linguistic and religious communities lies at the root of these conflicts; these divisions are thought to impede any form of political resolution or social cohesion. But little work has been done to explore how these tensions manifest themselves in the communities of the Middle East. This book fills this significant gap, going beyond a narrow focus on "minorities" to examine the larger canvas of community politics in the Middle East. Through eight case studies from esteemed experts in law, education, history, architecture, anthropology, and political science, this multidisciplinary volume offers a critical view of the Middle East's diverse, pluralistic fabric: how it has evolved throughout history; how it influences current political, economic, and social dynamics; and what possibilities it offers for the future.

Contents:

Acknowledgments

About the authors: communities in the playing field of pluralism / Firat Oruc. Part 1 State-community relations : Between faith and state: contemporary conflicts over diverstiy / Kathleen A. Cavanaugh

Formal education system as arenas of inclusion and exclusion: comparative case studies from Lebanon and Syria / Annika Rabo

The ruling family's hegemony: inclusion and exclusion in Qatari society / Islam Hassan

The Shi'i state and the socioeconomic challenges of the Sunni communities in Iran: historical and contemporary perspectives / Afshin Shahi and Ehsan Abdoh-tabrizi. Part 2 Frontiers of identity : Inclusion and exclusion in the Arab city: discourses on identity and urbanism in the Middle East / Nezar AlSayyad

Millet ethnicity: Islamized Armenians and Armenian identity / James Barry

Colorblind or blinded by color? Race, ethnicity, and identity / Firoozeh Kashani-Sabet

Cultural cleansing and iconoclasm under the Islamic state: attacks on Yezidis and Christians and their heritage / Benjamin Isakhan, José Antonio González Aarandona, and Taghreed jamal Al-Deen.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 195-244) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Anne and Joseph Trachtman Memorial Book Fund.

Other Format:

Electronic version : Sites of pluralism.

ISBN:

0190052716

9780190052713

OCLC:

1076547686