Middle Eastern Societies in the 20th Century

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the last 100 years in the Middle East from the perspective of social history. It is apt to date the beginning of the modern Middle East to the industrialization era, while it extends its reach into the present. Taking its lead from modernization theory, this book illustrates past expectations of the present and helps to understand everyday occurrences rather than sensational events. It adopts a multi-disciplinary perspective and concentrates on the relationship between history and social theory. From a historical perspective, the categories of social anthropology and social theory are referred to as social mobility, urbanization, migration, cultural change, gender identities and the young generation. The book addresses the primary issues of importance for the region, namely: natural and human resources; demography and its dynamics; family life; patriarchy and the emancipation of women; class structure and social mobility; ethnic and religious minorities; migration and its impact on culture and politics; refugees' problems in historical and contemporary contexts; urbanization in the Middle Eastern context; the challenges of development; and, finally, the social and political consequences of the Arab Spring.