Tribes and States in a Changing Middle East - Tapa dura

"This collection explores the complex relationship between tribal and nation-state identities through comparative analyses and case studies of nine countries in the Middle East, highlighting the endurance of tribal influence (despite state attempts to diminish its power) and its divergent manifestations within the nation state...Collectively, the essays bring pertinent questions about the relationships between tribe and state to the forefront of analytical Middle East studies." -- The Middle East Journal

At the outset of the twenty-first century and in the midst of the Arab Spring, tribe-state relations are a useful frame of reference through which to analyze the Middle East on a state-by-state basis.Tribes and States in a Changing Middle East looks beyond the dichotomy between tribe and state. Its central theme is the role of tribes and tribalism in state politics, society, and identity, as demonstrated in case studies from the Arab East (mashriq). The book is a comparative endeavour that seeks to address questions related to the interplay between tribal organizations and state institutions, tribal solidarity and nationalism, and tribal power and the centralized government. It further discusses the impact and role of tribal polities in modern states in times of regional and national turmoil.