PART I Introduction to the Region CHAPTER 1 The Middle East and North Africa: Between Image and Reality CHAPTER 2 The Geography of the Middle East and North Africa CHAPTER 3 Culture and Society in the Middle East and North Africa Part II Emergence and Evolution of the Region: CHAPTER 4 Historical Foundations: The Islamic and Arab Legacies CHAPTER 5 The Making of the Modern Middle East : The Ottoman Legacy CHAPTER 6 Independent States and Geopolitics: The Legacy of Western Imperialism CHAPTER 7 The Contemporary State Systems: A System in Flux CHAPTER 8 Contemporary Islamist Thought: The Power of Ideology Part III Contemporary Issues and Challenges:CHAPTER 9 Economic Challenges: A Region of Disparities CHAPTER 10 The Middle East Conflicts CHAPTER 11 Civil Society, Media and Democratic Reform CHAPTER 12 The 2011 Revolutions and the Future of the Region Glossary Bibliography Index