The problems in the Middle East run deeper than dictatorship. Inspired by the popular uprising that overthrew Tunisia's president, Arabs across the Middle East are demanding change. But achieving real freedom will involve more than the removal of a few dictators. Looking beyond the turmoil reported on our TV screens, Guardian journalist Brian Whitaker examines the 'freedom deficit' that affects Arabs in their daily lives: their struggles against corruption, discrimination and bureaucracy, ...

Homosexuality is a taboo subject in the Arab world. While clerics denounce it as a heinous sin, newspapers write cryptically of 'shameful acts' and 'deviant behaviour'. Amid the calls for reform in the Middle East, homosexuality is one issue that almost everyone in the region would prefer to ignore. In this absorbing account, Guardian journalist Brian Whitaker calls attention to the voices of men and women who are struggling with gay identities in societies where they are marginalised and ...

Transform your dream of relocating to Mexico into a grounded reality with this pragmatic guide to thriving as an expat. Whether you are actively planning a move south of the border or seeking an adventurous lifestyle, navigating foreign logistics can feel overwhelming. This roadmap replaces anxiety with clarity, offering an inspiring companion for your major life transition.Skip the fantasy pitches and fearmongering for a reassuring, honest look at what long-term living in Latin Am...

Accelerate career growth and master workplace communication by turning everyday behaviors into absolute dependability. Whether you are listening during your daily commute or preparing for a major promotion, this guide delivers focused, actionable strategies to help you stand out. You will feel empowered to navigate corporate office dynamics, remote work challenges, and high-pressure meetings with steady confidence.Stop letting minor missteps or poor time management dictate your pro...

Winner of the Helen and Stan Vine Jewish Book Award and finalist for the Man Booker Prize In Far to Go, one of our most accomplished young writers takes us inside the world of an affluent Jewish family in Prague during the lead-up to Hitler's invasion of Czechoslovakia.In 1939, Pavel and Anneliese Bauer are secular Jews whose lives are turned upside down by the arrival of Hitler. They are unable to leave the country in time to avoid deportation, but they do manage to get their six-year-old...

The fourth edition of this dynamic and popular text provides a comprehensive introduction to contemporary politics in the Middle East. Fully revised and updated throughout, it features a new chapter on the Arab Spring and its aftermath, plus a wide range of vibrant case studies, data, questions for class discussion and suggestions for further reading.Purposefully employing a clear thematic structure, the book begins by introducing key concepts and contentious debates before outlini...

Syria stands at the centre of contemporary Middle Eastern affairs but remains poorly understood. Recent writing has focused on the intentions and objectives of the political leadership in Damascus, yet there are many severe constraints on what senior policy-makers can actually do. This collection presents new research conducted by the contributors on aspects of Syrian politics, economics and diplomacy that are too often ignored. Essays on the shifting relations between the Ba'th party and ...

In 2018, journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi regime operatives, shocking the international community and tarnishing the reputation of Muhammad bin Salman, the kingdom's young, reformist crown prince. Domestically, bin Salman's reforms have proven divisive, and his adoption of populist nationalism and fierce repression of diverse critical voices--religious scholars, feminists and dissident youth--have failed to silence a vibrant and well-connected Saudi society. Madawi Al-Rashe...

Recent writings on Pakistan have tended to focus on the role of the Pakistan Army, the nuclear programme, terrorism, Pak-Afghan and Pak-US relations and, of course, Indo-Pak relations. Pakistan: Courting the Abyss goes beyond sensationalist headlines and current crises like terrorism and tensions with India, to the deeper malaise that afflicts the nation. The book examines issues like identity, the looming water crisis, the perilous state of education, the economic meltdown and the danger ...

Who Is Winning The War In Afghanistan?A pro - Communist coup, the impact and aftermath of the Soviet (1978-79) invasion and 30 years of war have demolished the social life, cohesion, integrity, solidarity, trust, capacity, and economy of Afghanistan. Millions of people have migrated to foreign countries, houses and villages have been destroyed, the countrys economy and infrastructure has been utterly destroyed, millions of young civilians and children have been deprived of educa...

‘Pashtun Identity and Geopolitics in Southwest Asia’ brings together Pakistan and Afghanistan as two inseparable entities by investigating areas such as the evolution and persistence of the Taliban, quest for Pashtun identity, the ambivalent status of the tribal region and the state of civic clusters on both sides. In addition to their relations with the United States and the EU, a due attention has been devoted to regional realties while looking at relations with India and China. The stud...

Amid the turbulence of the 2011 Arab uprisings, the revolutionary uprising that played out in Cairo's Tahrir Square created high expectations before dashing the hopes of its participants. The upheaval led to a sequence of events in Egypt that scarcely anyone could have predicted, and precious few have understood: five years on, the status of Egypt's unfinished revolution remains shrouded in confusion. Power shifted hands rapidly, first from protesters to the army leadership, then to the po...