Contested Lands: A History of the Middle East From the First World War to the Present

A history of the last century of tensions in the Middle East. Until the First World War, the Ottoman Empire had dominated the Middle East for four centuries. Its collapse, coupled with the subsequent clash of European imperial policies, unleashed a surge of political feelings among the people of the Middle East as they vied for national self-determination. Over the century that followed, the region has become almost synonymous with unrest and conflict. An accessible survey of the last century, Contested Lands tells the story of what happened in the Middle East and what it means today. T. G. Fraser analyzes the fault lines of the tension, including the damage brought by imperialism, the creation of the State of Israel, competition between secular rulers and emerging democratic and theocratic forces, and the rise of Arab Nationalism in the face of fraying regional alliances and the Islamic revival. Fraser offers a close look at how the events of the twenty-first century—the tragedy of 9/11, the Arab Spring, and Syria's civil war—have combined with complex social and economic changes to transform the region. Untangling the history of the Middle East, this book offers a detailed and insightful picture of the region and why its heritage remains important today.

Table of Contents:
1. The Middle East on the Eve of War // 1 2. The Remaking of the Middle East // 21 3. The New Imperialists Under Challenge // 47 4. The Middle East in Transition // 75 5. The Second World War and the Middle East // 99 6. The United States, the United Nations, and the Future of Palestine // 117 7. War and Revolution // 145 8. From War to War // 173 9. The Middle East Transformed // 201 10. The Search for Stability // 229 11. The Middle East in Turmoil // 257 12. Conclusion // 295 Acknowledgements // 303 Notes // 305 Index // 329

About the Author :
T. G. Fraser is emeritus professor at Ulster University and the author of Chaim Weizmann: The Zionist Dream (2009) and, with Andrew Mango and Robert McNamara, The Makers of the Modern Middle East (2015).

Review :
‘Contested Lands is a thorough and, indeed, riveting account of the major historical developments in the Middle East following World War I. Using incisive language, T.G. Fraser looks at both the local and the global levels to develop a clear picture of a region that so much scholarship has tended to essentialise.’ ‘A welcome addition to the literature on Middle East history and will serve as an introductory volume for undergraduate students and general readers seeking to learn more about the region’s history and the role Western countries have played in it.’ ‘A good starting point for further reading.’