Keys to understanding the Middle East / by Alam Payind and Melinda MClimans.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Payind, Alam, author.

McClimans, Melinda, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Humanities--Textbooks.

Humanities.

History--Textbooks.

History.

Philosophy--Textbooks.

Philosophy.

Middle East.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 124 pages) : illustrations (chiefly colour), colour maps.

Place of Publication:

Columbus, Ohio : The Ohio State University Pressbooks [2017]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

This book is intended for readers who have never studied the Middle East, or experts who may wish to fill gaps in their knowledge of the region from other disciplines. Whether for establishing or deepening one's knowledge of the region, these fundamentals are important to know. The languages, cultural, religious and sectarian communities of the region, and selected turning points and influential people in history are starting points for gaining an understanding of the diverse contexts 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. The material is intended engage with diverse – even conflicting – 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.

Contents:

Chapter One: Languages

Languages

Linguistic Groups

Arabic's Influence in the Region

Islamic Expansion

Chapter Two: Faith and Religious Identity

Faith and Religious Identity

Diverse Religious Identities of the Middle East

Religious Diversity

Islam in Middle Eastern Societies

What is Shar'ia Law

Religious Pluralism

Prayer, A Part of Daily Life for Muslims Around the World

Shi'ism

The Mystical Tradition of Sufism, or Tasawwuf

Who are the Salafis/Wahabis?

Chapter Three: The Middle East and the Impact of Imperialism

The Middle East and the Impact of Imperialism

Defining the Term "Middle East"

National Borders as Foreign Intervention

The Impact of Imperialism on the Region

Modernization Versus Westernization

Gamal Abdul Nasser and Non-Alignment

Nation States and Stateless Nations

The U.S. and Post-Bandung Imperial Dominance

Notes:

Description based on online resource