The Palestine Exploration Fund, established in 1865, is the oldest organization created specifically for the study of the Levant. It helped to spur evangelical tourism to the region in the late 19th a
At its founding in 1932, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was characterized by tribal warfare, political instability, chronic financial shortages and economic crises. As a desert chieftain, Abd al-Aziz Ibn
When the Bolshevik Revolution broke out in October 1917, much of Central Asia was still ruled by autonomous rulers such as the Emir of Bukhara and the Khan of Khiva. By 1920 the khanates had been tran
In recent decades, African states have developed an impressive infrastructure for training their peacekeepers. In addition peacekeeping, peacebuilding and associated areas in conflict resolution have
In his writing on the 'mirror stage', the psychoanalytic theorist Jacques Lacan describes the female body as lacking: a mere symptom of man, an object constructed by male desire. However, what happens
The Qajar Pact explores new perspectives on the nineteenth-century Iranian state and society, and is the first broad study of lower social groups in this period. Vanessa Martin argues that Qajar gover
In Protectorate Cyprus, education was one of the most effective tools of imperial control and political manipulation used by the British. Imperial Control in Cyprus charts the cultural and educational
In the long literary history of the Middle East, the notion of "the beloved" has been a central trope in both the poetry and prose of the region. This book explores the concept of the beloved in a cro
Before Columbus there was Eratosthenes: inventor of the discipline of geography as it is known today and the first person to calculate the circumference of the Earth. There was Alexander the Great: th
In the summer of 1974, against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War, ceramics expert and Morgan sports car enthusiast John Carswell set off with his young family from their home in Beirut on an expe
In the last three decades, Turkey has attempted to build close relationships with Russia, Iran and the Turkic World. As a result, there has been ongoing debate about the extent to which Turkey's inter
From the gritty landscapes of The Hunger Games and The Walking Dead, to the portrayal of the twenty-first-century precariat in Girls, this book explores how transatlantic visual culture has represente
British children's films have played a part in the childhoods of generations of young people around the world for over a century. Until now, however, their cherished status has remained largely unexpl
A young man leaves his home to look for work in the cinema industry and disappears into the anonymity of showbiz rebuffals. A shop girl wins a newspaper competition and is transformed overnight into a
When men and women spend their lives in a world confined by siege, what is the impact on their sense of self and community? In the wake of the second intifada in Israel/Palestine, many rural villages
The Young Turk Revolution of 1908 reverberated across the Middle East and Europe and ushered in a new era for Turkey. But the Young Turks themselves, led by Enver Pasha, were in fact a diverse group-r
During the 2013 Gezi Park Uprisings, the role and behaviour of the Turkish Police made headlines across the world. This book focuses on urban crime and policing in Turkey since the steady economic dec
Solon (c 658-558 BC) is famous as both statesman and poet but also, and above all, as the paramount lawmaker of ancient Athens. Though his works survive only in fragments, we know from the writings of
The Russian Federation has one of the largest prison populations in the world. Women in particular are profoundly affected by the imprisonment of a family member. Families and Punishment in Russia det
In the wake of the protests that spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa in late 2010 and early 2011, Islamist movements of varying political persuasions have risen to prominence. This is e
Today Russia and human rights are both high on the international agenda. Since Putin returned to the presidency in 2012, domestic developments-from the prosecution of Pussy Riot to the release of Khod
The internationally acclaimed films Persepolis and Waltz with Bashir only hinted at the vibrant animation culture that exists within the Middle East and North Africa. In spite of censorship, oppressio
The Delhi Sultanate ruled central India for over three centuries. The era, marked by the desecration of temples and construction of mosques from temple-rubble, is for many South Asians a lightning rod
Should shari’a law be introduced into the British legal system? Elham Manea explores this question by building on her knowledge of legal pluralism in Middle Eastern and Islamic countries and by first-
The Ottoman Empire was more than a center of military and economic activity; it was a vivid and flourishing cultural realm. The artefacts and objects remaining from all corners of this vast empire tel
The Middle East has been a particular focus of global crisis reporting. Yet, international coverage of these conflicts has historically been presented through a 'Western' perspective. The absence of A
Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the previously well-established organisation of world politics has been thrown into disarray. While during the Cold War, the b
In this his most important work, the pioneering anthropologist Berthold Laufer documents the cultural transfers that took place between China and Iran in early times. Few other works provide so much i
The great 6th-century BCE Attic potter-painter Exekias is acclaimed as the most accomplished exponent of late ‘black-figure’ art. His vases, vessels, bowls and amphorae are reproduced on postcards and
The 'mirror stage' in Lacanian psychoanalytical theory constructs the female body as lacking. However, what happens if you follow Baudrillard's advice to 'swallow the mirror'? Basia Sliwinska's Gender
For more than a century, local journalism has been taken almost for granted. But the twenty-first century has brought major challenges. The newspaper industry that has historically provided most local
For more than a century, local journalism has been taken almost for granted. But the twenty-first century has brought major challenges. The newspaper industry that has historically provided most local
The period 1940-1960 was a time of considerable change in British society. It saw the emergence of mass democracy, a world war and then unprecedented affluence. Change brought uncertainty among Britai
Outsiders have long attributed to the Middle East, and especially to ancient Egypt, meanings that go way beyond the rational and observable. The region has been seen as the source of civilization, rel
Under Seljuk rule (c. 1081-1308) the formerly Christian Byzantine territories of Anatolia were transformed by the development of Muslim culture, society and politics, and it was then—well before the a
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most prolonged, contentious and divisive in the modern era. But, despite the volatile nature of the conflict, which frequently flares up in armed confron
The history of Kosovo is a complicated one which typifies the darker side of modern Balkan history. Milosevic’s Serbia withdrew from Kosovo in 1999 and the province was handed over to a special UN bod
In September 2014, the Kurdish Syrian city of Kobane was subjected to a massive attack by fighters of the movement Islamic State (IS). As a result, the plight of the Kurds of Syria became known around
From an examination of the politically-laden spectacle of George IV's visit to Edinburgh in 1822 (as stage-managed by the celebrated novelist Sir Walter Scott), to an analyses of Google Earth's role i
