Oxford Guide to the Sociology of the Middle East

Comprising 42 analytical chapters written by an international assembly of interdisciplinary scholars, The Oxford Handbook of the Sociology of the Middle East, edited by Armando Salvatore, stands as a definitive academic reference. The volume opens by deconstructing "the Middle East" as a Western sociological construct, proposing instead nuanced analytical frameworks that read the region from within. Across its multi-part structure, the handbook systematically examines state-society relations, colonial continuities, and the socio-political transformations following the Arab Uprisings. It addresses critical debates on secularism, Islamic revivalism, the Iranian Revolution, and contemporary jihadism, while dissecting the political economy of the Gulf, labor migration, youth unemployment, family structures, and gender politics. Additionally, the text incorporates critical analyses of the Palestinian question, Zionism, urban sociology, and digital media, offering an essential synthesis of Middle Eastern societies.

It provides an indispensable, comprehensive academic foundation across 42 specialized chapters, equipping readers with critical tools to navigate the social, political, and cultural complexities of the modern Middle East.

Ideal for professors, graduate students, and researchers in sociology, political science, Middle Eastern studies, international relations, and policy research, as well as general readers seeking an authoritative academic handbook.