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Issue 08/April 2000
Editor, Prof. Barry Rubin
Assistant Editors, Linda Sharaby and Cameron Brown
Research Assistant, Ozgul Erdemli
Issue 08/April 2000
Editor, Prof. Barry Rubin
Assistant Editors, Linda Sharaby and Cameron Brown
Research Assistant, Ozgul Erdemli
CONTENTS
BESA Center for Strategic Studies, Copyright MERIA. Please credit if quoting; ask permission to reprint. <besa@mail.biu.ac.il>
CONTENTS
IMPORTANT NEWS: MERIA Features; Turkish Studies published
3. FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO E-MAIL PUBLICATIONS
4. FUNDING/SCHOLARSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS/WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
5. RESEARCH QUERIES-PLEASE HELP
6. AUTHOR'S ALERTS (writers report on their books, articles, and activites)
7. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF MEETINGS, CONFERENCES, LECTURES
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. MERIA Features: Our new simplified website address is <http://meria.biu.ac.il/> and we've updated and improved our homepage with new features. The growth in use of this site has been incredible. When it started, in June 1997, MERIA had 300 hits a month. By January 1998, this had risen to 2,000 and to about 4,500 in January 1999. But in 1999 alone, due to a redesign and wider knowledge of MERIA, use of the site increased quickly, passing the 15,000 mark in December 1999 and more than 17,000 in March 2000. From April to December 1999, MERIA's site has served over 75,000 documents to tens of thousands of visitors from 90 countries. Articles and news in MERIA thus reaches a huge worldwide audience of those most interested in the Middle East, including government officials, journalists, librarians, publishers, scholars, and students.
B. First issue of Turkish Studies: (Volume 1, Number 1) is completed and will be available in May 2000. The second issue is nearing completion. The first issue includes the following articles: Turkey’s Policy in the Former Soviet South by Bulent Aras; Through the Looking Glass: Turkey in Europe by Meltem Muftuler-Bac; Rethinking Turkey-European Relations by Sevilay Kahraman; Turkish-Russian Relations by Duygu Sezer ; Turkey’s National Security in the Middle East by Lenore Martin; The Geography of Turkey’s 1999 Elections by Ali Carkoglu; Elections in Turkey by Frank Tachau; Civil-Military Relations in Turkey by Nilufer Narli. Also included is a roundtable discussion, Research Guide for Turkey, and reviews. Turkish Studies welcomes manuscript submissions for the next issues. All feature articles should be between 5,000 and 7,500 words and sent via e-mail to editor Barry Rubin <rubinbar@netvision.net.il> and book reviews to Bulent Aras <abulent@fatih.edu.tr>.
Subscription rates: Individuals £22/$35, Institutions £75/$115, New individual subscriber introductory rate £17/$28. Please send subscription orders to <jnlsubs@frankcass.com> or Frank Cass, 900 Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park, Ilford, Essex,IG2 7HH Tel: +44 (0)20 8599 8866 Fax: +44 (0)20 8599 0984. In North America: 5804 NE Hassalo Street, Portland, OR 97213 3644; Tel: 800 944 6190 Fax: 503 280 8832
1. PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST
Books:
Barry Rubin and Thomas Keaney (eds.), "US Allies in a Changing World" published by Frank Cass Publishers: <www.frankcass.com>.
Richard Butler, "The Greatest Threat: Iraq, Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Crisis of Global Security" Public Affairs publishers. <publicaffairs@perseusbooks.com>, <http://www.publicaffairsbooks.com>.
Heinz Kramer, "A Changing Turkey: Challenges to Europe and the US" will be published in May 2000: <bibooka@brook.edu>.
Stephen C. Calleya (ed.),"Regionalism in the Post-Cold War World" by Ashgate, UK: <http://www.ashgate.com>.
Yasemin Celik, "Contemporary Turkish Foreign Policy" by Praeger Publishers, US: <http://www.greenwood.com>.
Mehmet Ugur, "The European Union and Turkey: An Anchor Credibility Dilemma" by Ashgate, UK: <http://www.ashgate.com>.
Ergun Ozbudun, "Contemporary Turkish Politics: Challenges to Democratic Consolidation" published by Lynne Rienner Publishers: <http://www.amazon.com>.
Richard Isralowitz and Jonathan Friedlander (eds.), "Transitions: Russians, Ethiopians and Bedouins in Israel's Negev Desert" by Ashgate, UK: <http://www.ashgate.com>.
Dan Urian and Efraim Karsh (eds.), "In Search of Identity: Jewish Aspects in Israeli Culture" by Frank Cass Publishers: <www.frankcass.com>.
Moshe Maor and Reuven Y. Hazan (eds.), "Parties, Elections and Cleavages: Israel in Comparative and Theoritical Perspective" by Frank Cass Publishers: <www.frankcass.com>.
Jorgen Nielsen, "Muslims in Western Europe" published by Edinburgh U Press: <direct.order@marston.co.uk>.
Shaul Mishal and Avraham Sela, “The Palestinian Hamas: Vision, Violence, and Coexistence” from Columbia U Press: <http://www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/catalog/index.html>.
Papers, Monographs:
Latest MESC publications "Hamas - Mossad Confrontation," "The Palestinian Catastrophe In A Half Century (1948-1998)," "The Future of
the civil life in the Palestinian self-ruled Territories" To order: <http://www.mesc.com.jo/new_publications.html>
or <mesc@mesc.com.jo>.
The Council on Foreign Relations has recently published several
papers as part of their Muslim Politics Project. These include: William Maley, "The Foreign Policy of the Taliban":
<http://www.foreignrelations.org/public/resource.cgi?pub!3583>;
Muhammad
Muslih, "The Foreign Policy of Hamas": <http://www.foreignrelations.org/public/resource.cgi?pub!3584>;
Augustus Richard Norton, "Hizballah of Lebanon: Extremist Ideals vs. Mundane Politics":
<http://www.foreignrelations.org/public/resource.cgi?pub!3586>;
Olivier
Roy, "The Foreign Policy of the Central Asian Islamic Renaissance Party": <http://www.foreignrelations.org/public/resource.cgi?pub!3587>.
Working papers from Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO) include: Richard Garfield, "Morbidity and Mortality among Iraqi Children from 1990 through 1998: Assessing the Impact of the Gulf War and Economic Sanctions": <http://wwwc.cc.columbia.edu/sec/dlc/ciao/wps/gar01>; Neve Gordon and George Lopez, "Terrorism in the Arab-Israeli Conflict" <http://wwwc.cc.columbia.edu/sec/dlc/ciao/wps/gon01>.
The Committee for Middle Eastern Studies of the U of South Florida
has several papers available, including: Edward Fugit, "The Future of the U.S. Commitment in the Middle Eastern Region,"; Dr. John Sigler,
"What Lies Ahead? The Continuing Search for Peace in the Middle East."
To order these or to obtain a complete list, write Arthur Lowrie <lowrie@luna.cas.usf.edu>.
Journals:
New Electronic Journal “Turk Dili ve Kulturu” (in Turkish): <http://www.geocities.com/ahcelebi>.
Center for International Development and Cooperation (CIDC)
publishes "Insight Turkey," a quarterly journal about political and economic developments in Turkey. <norafish@hotmail.com> The Leonard Davis Institute has begun a semi-annual periodical (in
Hebrew) "Politika -The Israeli Journal of Political Science & International Relations." The first issue is devoted to the subject of
identity and politics in Israel: <http://unixware.mscc.huji.ac.il/~davis/politika.htm>
The latest Washington Kurdish Institute (WKI) newsletter, Zagros (February 2000), is now at: <http://www.clark.net/kurd/Zagros/Zagros8.html>.
Journal of Third World Studies, Volume XVI, No.2, (Fall 1999) focuses on Third World Development on the Eve of the New Millennium: <http://www.wiu.edu/users/mfmbk/volumes/vol16.htm>. Middle East Quarterly, March 2000, Table of Contents: <mideastq@aol.com>.
To receive BRISMES Newsletter, Vol.14, No.2 (March 2000): <a.l.haysey@durham.ac.uk>. This is the very informative publication of the British Middle East studies organization.
To receive DAVO Newsletter, Nachrichten, Vol.11, (February 2000) email <DAVO@geo.Uni-Mainz.de>. It is the best source of events and publications in Europe and includes material in English and German.
2. WEBSITES/GROUPS ONLINE
A. General:
A useful collection of links, articles, stories about the March 2000 visit by Pope John Paul II:
<http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/fc/Breaking/Pope_John_Paul_II>.
Vision 2020, newspaper articles from across the Middle East envision the region's future in the year 2020 and beyond: <http://www.sfcg.org/mideast_media/vision2020_index.html>
The Moshe Dayan Center Spring Bulletin on meetings and publications: <http://www.Dayan.org>
Center for Contemporary Arab Studies site with newsletters and meeting summaries: <http://www.ccasonline.org>.
Drugs and politics in the Middle East (from the Geopolitical Drug Dispatch): <http://www.ogd.org/rapport/gb/RP04_PROCHE.html>.
Bobst (library, NYU) Resources in Middle East Studies: <http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/hum/mideast/>
CMEP study on water: <http://www.centerpeace.org/water_a.htm>.
President Clinton's Middle East aid package for fiscal year 2001: <http://www.peacenow.org/cando/docs/presmebudget01.htm>.
The Central Asia Project provides links to Tadzikistan, Armenia, Kyrgyz (new), Uzbek, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, and Turkmenistan: <http://www.soros.org/central_eurasia.html>.
For information on elections in Caucasus and Central Asia: <http://www.soros.org/cen_eurasia/elections.html>.
A report by Human Rights Watch, "The Administration of Justice in Tunisia": <http://www.hrw.org/hrw/reports/2000/tunisia>.
News Network International (NNI) is a good source for news on Pakistan and Afghan affairs: <http://www.nni-news.com>.
For Afghan politics: <http://www.afghan-politics.org>.
MedNet, good Italian site on Mediterranean Environment: <http://sit.iuav.unive.it/mednet/homepage2.html>.
B. Updates to Israel/Syria talks, and maps of the Middle East (note: these have been added to the Research Guides on our site):
Maps of Syria: <http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Shores/5270/syria.html>
An interactive Golan map with armistice lines, Israeli towns, borders: <http://cnn.com/2000/WORLD/meast/02/01/mideast.talks/>;
Maps of the Golan Heights: <http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Loge/7748/golan.html>.
National Council for the Golan (in English, Hebrew, Russian and
German): <http://www.mygolan.org.il/>
includes sections on Syrian policy and water issues.
<http://www.sana.org/English1/new_syrian_government.htm>.
Comprehensive collection of articles on Syria from Ha'aretz (in Hebrew): <http://www2.haaretz.co.il/special/syria/>.
A site about "Israel and The Peace Process" with many other links:
<http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/home/hand/public_html/Israel.html>.
Netivot Shalom-Oz ve Shalom's (the Religious-Zionist movement) peace plan: <http://www.ariga.com/ozveshalom/peace/wise.html>.
Virtual Jerusalem (VJ) on Syria/Israel talks: <http://www.virtualjerusalem.com/israelsyria/index.htm>.
C. Updates to the Iran Research Guide (these have been added to the Research Guide on our site): Iran Press Service, the region's first and only news service on the Internet: <http://www.iran-press-service.com>. Iranian studies in France, Consultez le site web de Monde iranien: <http://www.ivry.cnrs.fr/iran>.
Two articles from the latest issue of Iran Focus: <http://www.atiehbahar.com/foreignpolicymaking.html>, <http://www.atiehbahar.com/if1.html>.
Rand report - "Violence & Stability in Northern Persian Gulf":
<http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1021>.
D. Egypt:
Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs site: Egypt-Israel Peace Documents <http://www.mfa.gov.eg/getcat.asp?id=0301>;
Multilateral Peace Negotiations: <http://www.mfa.gov.eg/getcat.asp?id=030104>;
US-Egypt relations <http://www.mfa.gov.eg/getcat.asp?id=030409>.
E. Lebanon
Hizbollah Central Press Office:
<http://www.hizbollah.org/english/frames/index_eg.htm>;
<http://www.hizbollah.org/english/ocupa.htm>,
Statements:
<http://www.hizbollah.org/english/statmresis.htm>.
VJ Radio presents a gallery of audio perspectives on Israel’s presence in Lebanon: <http://www.vjradio.com/lebanon.htm>.
Campaign for Good Governance in Lebanon: <http://www.cggl.org/scripts/index.asp>.
News Sources related to South Lebanon, Embassy of Lebanon in Washington D.C. <http://www.embofleb.org/bombarding.htm>.
Islamic Resistance Support Association-IRSA:
<http://www.moqawama.org/page2/main.htm>.
UN Resolution 425 on the territorial integrity & sovereignty of Lebanon: <http://www.dailystar.com.lb/un.htm>
The latest news from Associated Press:
<http://wire.ap.org/APnews/main.html?FRONTID=MIDEAST>.
Center for Legislative Development, Beirut Office of U. Albany (SUNY): <http://www.suny-cld.edu.lb>.
Lebanese Parliament: <http://www.lp.gov.lb/english.html>
Lebanon Relief and Redevelopment Project - SUNY
<http://www.suny-cld.edu.lb/overview.htm>.
F. Palestinians
Material on emerging Palestinian state: <http://www.birzeit.edu/palarc/bp/index.html>.
Palestinian refugees in final status talks: <http://www.acrossborders.org/refugee/final.html>.
Deheishe Refugee Camp website: <http://www.dheisheh.acrossborders.org/english/index.html>.
A very comprehensive list of links on the Gaza: <http://www.middlebury.edu/~gferguso/gaza.shtml>.
Nice history of Bethlehem: <http://privat.schlund.de/b/bethlehem>.
Nablus Municipality website: <http://www.nablus.org>
Report on Young Leaders' Human Rights seminar on "Refugees and the Peace Process" (Jan 28-30): <http://youngleaders.netvision.net.il/human_rights.html>.
U.S. Assistance to West Bank/Gaza: <http://www.info.usaid.gov/regions/ane/newpages/one_pagers/wbg.htm>
Miftah, Palestinian, Jerusalem-based independent institution: <http://www.miftah.org>
Compassionate Listening Project, a project for Jewish-Palestinian dialogue: <http://www.mideastdiplomacy.org/clp.html>.
G. Organizations
American Research Institute (ARIT) in Turkey, Istanbul: <http://mec.sas.upenn.edu/ARIT/IstanbulCenter.htm>,
a catalogue of the holdings of the Istanbul center library: <http://arit.dartmouth.edu/arit>.
ARIT, Ankara: <http://mec.sas.upenn.edu/ARIT/AnkaraCenter.htm>, <arit-o@tr-net.net.tr>.
New events from Peres Centre for Peace, Israel: <http://www.peres-center.org>, <http://youngleaders.netvision.net.il>.
The Institute of Druze Studies (IDS): <http://www.druzestudies.org>.
Oman Studies Centre: <http://www.oman.org>.
Zentrum Moderner Orient/Centre for Midern Oriental Studies: <http://www.zmo.de>.
The Orient Institute in Beirut and Istanbul: <oib@netgate.com.ln>, <oiist@ibm.net>.
The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London: <pa_director@iis.ac.uk>.
Islamic Law Institute, Beirut: <http://www.das-arabische-buch.de>, <info@das-arabische-buch.de>.
International Institute for Caspian Studies, Tehran: <http://www.caspainstudies.com>.
Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID), Washington DC: <http://www.islam-democracy.org>.
3. FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO E-MAIL PUBLICATIONS
EJOS -Electronic Journal of Oriental Studies is giving free subscriptions: <http://www.let.uu.nl/oosters/EJOS/EJOS-1.html> or <Hans.Theunissen@let.uu.nl>.
Atieh Bahar Consulting-ABC produces Iran Focus, Iran Energy, Iran Quarterly Report and Iran Press Analysis . To subscribe: <publications@atiehbahar.com>.
4. FUNDING/SCHOLARSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS/WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
EJOS (Electronic Journal of Oriental Studies), an international
electronic journal devoted to the study of Arabic, Persian and Turkic languages and cultures, accepts scholarly articles, monographs, paper
collections, a text edition of a primary source, or a dissertation. It is especially interested to material on Ottoman history and culture.
<Hans.Theunissen@let.uu.nl>
or <http://www.let.uu.nl/oosters/EJOS/EJOS-1.html>.
The Institute of Druze Studies (IDS), in collaboration with the Department of Religious Studies, San Diego State U (SDSU), Society for the Academic Study of Religion (SDSU), and the G. E. von Grunebaum Center at UCLA is calling for papers for its conference (San Diego State U, September 8-10) on Immigrant Religious Communities: Ideas and Identities. Please submit a one-page abstract to both <ids@druzestudies.org >, <sswayd@mail.sdsu.edu>.
The Institute for Political & International Studies, Tehran (IPIS) invites specialists, researchers and all interested scholars to submit a CV. and one-page abstract of papers for the 8th International Conference on Central Asia & the Caucasus, "Lessons from the Past, Prospects for the Future," Deadline: May 13, 2000: <ipis@www.dci.co.ir>.
Iranian Studies is calling for articles. Please ask for a copy of the Journal's style sheet before submitting manuscripts. <http://www.iranian-studies.org/isfr.html>, <iranian.studies@nyu.edu>.
The Mediterranean Programme Summer-School calls for candidates for "The Mediterranean in the 21st Century: Enduring Differences and Prospects for Co-operation," at the European U Institute in Florence, July 3-14, 2000. Open to candidates presently completing PhD and to post-doctoral fellows who have completed their PhD in the past two years. Deadline: May 5. <http://www.iue.it/RSC/MED/> or <svantess@datacomm.iue.it>.
Australasian Middle East Studies Association calls for papers for its conference, "Reclaiming the Millennium"(July 5-6, U. Melbourne). Themes focus on development of Middle East civil societies. Deadline: April 30. <S.Akbarzadeh@latrobe.edu.au>.
CEBHEM / Orientalisches Seminar, Tuebingen U, Germany invites applications for two doctoral research fellowships (3 years each) at the Centre for the Economic and Business History of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East (CEBHEM). Eligibility: graduates from Middle Eastern and/or Mediterranean Studies, History, Anthropology, Sociology, Geography or Economics, interested in archival research. Languages required: Arabic, Ottoman-Turkish, French, Italian (for one position also Greek or Armenian). Deadline: June 15 <aoskl01@uni-tuebingen.de>, <klein@uni-tuebingen.de>.
5. RESEARCH QUERIES-PLEASE HELP
[We ask you send us a copy of any direct correspondence so we can share the results in MERIA News. Queries and responses are also posted on our site under "Frequently Asked Questions on Middle East Research].
Query 1: Martin E. Stein <mestein@phoenix.princeton.edu> wants to find out the best literature on the use and abuse of the "rentier state" theory to explain upheaval in oil-producing Middle Eastern states (such as Iran and Algeria).
Answer: Ali Abootalebi's <abootaar@uwec.edu> answer to Stein’s query: Beblawi, H. and Luciani, G. (1987) “The Arab rentier state,” in Nation, State and Integration in the Arab World, vol. 2, (London: Croom Helm). Hazem Beblawi, "The Rentier State in the Arab World,” in Giacomo Luciani (ed.), The Arab State (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990). Michel Chatelus, "Policies for Development: Attitudes toward Industry and Services," in Luciani, (ed.), The Arab State, (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990). Mahdavi, Hossein (1970) classical work on rentier state in Iran, in Michael Cook (ed.), Studies in the Economic History of the Middle East (London: Oxford U. Press). Some discussion on rentierism is also engaged in Nazih Ayubi, Over-Stating the Arab State: Politics and Society in the Middle East (London & New York: I.B. Tauris, 1995). Ali R. Abootalebi, "Middle East Economies: A Survey of Current Problems and Issues," MERIA, Vol. 3, No. 3, Sept. 1999.
Query 2: Jacob Larsson <jakoblarsson@wanadoo.dk> seeks information about the Six-Day War-any details on the battle of Abu Agheila, maps of the Sinai desert, the organization of General Sharon's division (men, equipment, brigades, etc.)
Answer : Lawrence Joffe’s <lawrence.joffe@virgin.net>
answer to Larsson’s query: Maps of 1967 war: <http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/100/maps/six.html>.
Jerusalem Report special supplement on Six Day War: <http://info.jpost.com/1998/Supplements/30years>.
See also Daniel C. Diller, John L. Moore (eds.), “The Middle East," 8th Edition, (The
Congessional Quarterly Inc., 1994). “Best of Enemies, The memoirs of Bassab Abu-Sharif and Uzi Mahnaimi,” (Little Brown and Co., 1995);
“Timeline, Lines in the Sand, The pursuit of Peace in the Middle East” Two useful references to the battle of Abu Agheila: Howard M Sachar, “A
History of Israel” (Alfred E Knopf, 1979, reprinted in 1991), ISBN 0 394 7369 6. Uzi Benziman , “Sharon - an Israeli Caesar”, (Robson Books,
1987), ISBN 0 86051 434 X. [Chapter 8 covers General Ariel Sharon's campaign in the Six Day War, and gives very useful information on the
strategic importance of Abu Agheila].
Query 3: Leon Bijou <ljbijou@iname.com>
is asking for guidance for researching the Egyptian economy on the net. Answer: <http://www.UNSCWA.org.lb>;
Agricultural and development
reports from US mission in Egypt: <http://www.usaid.gov>;
A good report on business and economic practices in Egypt can be found from: <http://www.state.gov>;
A good data source for foreign aid to Egypt over a long period of time: <http://www.oecd.org/dac>;
For an excellent
briefing on the energy situation in Egypt click Egypt at: <http://www.eia.doe.gov>;
<http://www.tradecompass.com> is a good search
engine to get articles on Egypt. Articles on Egypt from the National Trade Data Bank: <http://www.awo.net/business/invest/egy1.asp>.
Country-level and product-level trade data:<http://www.intracen.org/itc/infobase/data>.
Ernst and Young investment report on Egypt: <http://mbendi.co.za/ernsty/cyegeyip.htm>.
Query 4: Joseph W. Roberts <roberts000@earthlink.net>
would appreciate communicating with anyone researching the use of internet by political and social opposition groups in the Middle East (besides the
IAP-Islamic Association for Palestine, CDLR-Committee for the Defense of
Legitimate Rights and BFM-Bahrain Freedom Movement).
Query 5: Mira Sucharov <sucharom@gusun.georgetown.edu> asks whether anyone remembers the approximate year (or decade) in which the burnt-out shell of the Altalena finally sank to the sea-bottom off the coast of Tel Aviv (i.e., some years after the actual 1948 explosion).
Query 6: Sinan Ilhan <sinanilhan@hotmail.com> seeks information concerning Bedouins' relations vis-a-vie the state in the post-Ottoman period (until World War II).
Query 7: Philipus YA Perdana, Phil <yusenda@blitar.wasantara.net.id> seeks information on how to get newspaper clippings of events in Israel (demonstration/public speech/statement) between 1992-1996 of groups supporting the Oslo agreements.
Query 8: John Schoeberlein <centasia@fas.harvard.edu> invites materials for compiling a list of Dissertations in Central Asian Studies in the last eight years. All items to be included in the Central Asian Studies site <http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~casww/CASWW_Diss.html>. The Harvard Forum for Central Asian Studies is also launching a new "Central Asia Experts Directory," for the site. To be listed write: <http://www.fas.harvard.edu/casww/CASWW_Expert.html>.
Query 9: Mohammad-Jafar Javad <mohammadjj@hotmail.com> is doing research on "The Role of Mediation Efforts in the Kuwait Crisis (1990-91)." He is interested in readings on this topic and on analyses of whether the mediation had a chance of working, as well as Iraq's decisionmaking process on that matter, and the role of the Soviet Union, the United States, the UN, Kuwait, France and Israel.
Query 10: Muhammed Riyamy <riyamyma@omantel.net.om> is writing on the challenges for the GCC in the next ten years.
Answer 1, Barry Rubin: Among useful references are the articles by
Sean Foley on the UAE, Daniel Byman and Jerry Green, and Turki al-Hamad from MERIA Journal, all on our homepage. Some help might be found in
comparing the problems discussed in Dr. Champion's article on Saudi Arabia to the
situaztion of other GCC states. Under Research Guides, the guides for Kuwait and for the UAE could be of some assistance, too.
Here is a list of some key issues:
--Preserving security from any Iranian threat.
--Preserving independence from any Iraqi threat.
--How to build a strategic structure, incorporating to any extent possible Iran and Iraq.
--Building relations with the United States that provide security cover while minimizing the costs in political and financial terms.
--Maintaining internal peace in light of various political and factional difficulties.
--Making difficult transitions to modernization.
--Handling certain disputes among the member states and their differing attitudes toward various outside powers.
--Dealing with oil price issues.
Answer 2, Sean Foley: You should also think about two issues that are often interconnected: dependence on foreign labor and the success of the non-oil sectors of the GCC economies. There are a number authors who have written or edited works in recent years on the GCC. Among the best authors published in in English are Greg Gause, John Duke Anthony, Anthony Cordesman, Gary Sick, Mamoun Fandy, Jill Crystal, Munira Fakro, Garry Schofield Joseph Keichichan, Jeff Kemp, Alexei Vassiliev and Jamal Sanad al-Suwaidi.
6. SCHOLAR'S AND AUTHOR'S ALERTS
Mohammed Abu-Nimer, "Conflict Resolution, Dialogue, and Change: Arab-Jewish Encounters in Israel," (New York: SUNY Press, 1999). The book is an in-depth examination of Arab-Jewish dialogue groups in Israel. Based on the work of these organizations (processes, structures, goals, and assumptions) and his survey on Arab and Jewish participants' responses to Arab-Jewish relations in Israel, the author suggets a theoretical framework for conflict resolution and dialogue in other ethnic conflict areas. Queries to M. Abu-Nimer: <abunim@american.edu>, orders: <orderbook@cupserv.org>.
Stephen C. Calleya (ed.), "Regionalism in the Post-Cold War World" (Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, U of Malta, Malta). The book is divided into three sections covering: Regionalism and Contemporary World Politics, European Regionalism, Global Regionalism. Queries to Stephen Calleya <stcalley@diplomacy.edu>, book orders: <http://www.ashgate.com>.
7. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF MEETINGS, CONFERENCES, LECTURES
[This only lists new
entries. For additional items, see MERIA News past issues on our homepage. We welcome submissions of events.]
April 3, Jerusalem, Israel, panel on "Turkey's Entry to the European Union: Possible Regional Implications," Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, Hebrew U, Maiersdorf Faculty Club, 2.00 pm: <mstruman@mscc.huji.ac.il>, <http://atar.mscc.huji.ac.il/~truman>.
April 3, Tel Aviv, Israel, lecture by Prof Ali Karaosmanoglu "Turkey and Europe: The Transatlantic and Euroasian Dimension," Moshe Dayan Center, Tel Aviv U, Gilman Building, Hall 496, 6.15 pm: <http://www.tau.ac.il/dayancenter>, <dayancen@ccsg.tau.ac.il>.
April 4, Ramat Gan, Israel, lecture by Steven Simon "The New Terrorism and the Peace Process," Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, Bar-Ilan U, Beck Auditorium, 5.00 pm: <besa@mail.biu.ac.il> or call (03) 535 91 98.
April 4, Jerusalem, Israel, lecture by Dr. Nabil Mikhail, "Egypt: Present Developments, Future Prospects," Davis Center, 2:30, Beit Meirsdorf, Hebrew U, <msdavis@mscc.huji.ac.il>.
April 10, Ankara, Turkey, lecture by Prof. Barry Rubin, "Current Issues in Middle East Politics," Bilkent U, For information write: Metin Heper <heper@Bilkent.EDU.TR>
April 12, Istanbul, Turkey, lecture by Prof. Barry Rubin, editor of MERIA, "Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy of Iran, Iraq, Syria," Sabanci U. For information: <abilget@sabanciuniv.edu.tr>.
April 10-12, Amman, Jordan, conference on "Arab-American Relations: Towards a Bright Future," U Jordan: <www.ju.edu.jo>, <www.fulbright-jordan.org>.
April 13-15, Cairo, Egypt, seminar on "Control, Mobility and Self-Fulfillment: Learning and Culture in Egypt since the Middle Ages," American U in Cairo: <nhanna@aucegypt.edu>.
April 13-15, NY, US, 5th annual World Convention of the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN), "Identity and State: Nationalism and Sovereignty in a Changing World," Columbia U: <http://picce.uno.edu/asn>.
April 16-18, Beirut, Lebanon, Arab Regional Conference of the Int'l Bar Assoc, "Middle East Law in the New Millennium": <Alex.Phillips@int-bar.org>, <http://www.ibanet.org>.
April 17- Brussels, Belgium, conference "Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Zone: Can It Be Sustainable," European Parliament, organized by Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME): <mftz@foeeurope.org>, <mftz@foeme.org>
April 17-18, Washington, D.C., US, "The Kurds: Search for Identity" American U Center for Global Peace, and Mustafa Barzani, Butler Board Room, Butler Pavilion, sixth floor, American U, 4400 Massachusetts Av. NW: <tawhid@american.edu>.
April, 26-28, Gazi Magusa, North Cyprus, conference on "Turkey in the 21st Century: Changing Role in World Politics?": <ic-cmes_ict@benet.emu.edu.tr>.
April 28-29, Bethesda, Maryland, US, 18th Annual CIRA conference, "Iran 2000: The Challenges Ahead": <kdadkhah@lynx.neu.edu>, <http://www.dac.neu.edu/cira>.
May 3, Ramat Gan, Israel, Asia Forum, “Chinese foreign policy: China and the Middle East,” Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, Bar-Ilan U, Feldman 102, 5pm: <browne@mail.biu.ac.il> or call (03) 535 91 98.
May 3-5, Stockholm, Sweden, conference on "Berber Languages, Berber History and Culture and its Socio-economic Conditions," Uppsala U, Sweden Discussions at the Mediterranean Museum: <M.Laanatza@afro.uu.se>, <http://www.afro.uu.se>.
May 14-17, Ben-Gurion U, Israel, international conference on "Cool
People in the Hot Desert", sponsored by the Hubert Burda Center for InnoCommunications.
<http://www.bgu.ac.il/associates/30th/events.htm#mar>.
May 15-16, Emek Yezreel, Israel, "Women and Society in the Middle East," Emek Yezreel College: <palgi@research.haifa.ac.il>, <luzi@netviison.net.il>.
May 15-18, Canakkale, Turkey, symposium, "Respect and Tolerance between Islam and Christianity in the Texts of History and Literature," Canakkale 18 Mart U: <zekicemilarda@hotmail.com>, <http://ilahiyat.comu.edu.tr>.
May 19-22, Ben-Gurion U, "Challenging Democracy: Peripheries as a
Vantage Point", co-sponsored by the Humphrey Institute for Social Research and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
<http://www.bgu.ac.il/associates/30th/events.htm#mar>.
May 24-25, Ben-Gurion U, "The Future of Indigenous Peoples: Strategies for Survival and Development", cosponsored by the Center for Bedouin Studies and Development, BGU and the Center for Comparative Education, UCLA. <http://www.bgu.ac.il/associates/30th/events.htm#mar>.
May 25-28, 2000, Bethesda, Md., US, Society for Iranian Studies conference, co-sponsored by The American Institute of Iranian Studies. <http://www.iranian-studies.org/Conference3rd.html> .
June 4-7, Beersheva, Israel, "Water and Environment: Resolving Conflicts in the Development of Drylands", Ben-Gurion U, sponsored by the Center for Water Science and Technology: <sinaia@bgumail.bgu.ac.il>.
June 5-7, Jerusalem, Israel, Law conference, "Culture, Community and Jerusalem: Strategies to Protect and Promote Human Rights in Palestine": <http://www.lawsociety.org/Conference/Index.html>, <conference@lawsociety.org>.
June 11-12, Tehran, Iran, 8th International Conference on Central
Asia & the Caucasus, "Lessons from the Past, Prospects for the Future," The Institute for Political & International Studies (IPIS):
<ipis@www.dci.co.ir> .
June 15-18, Munich, Germany, conference, "Afghanistan - Country without a State?" (in German and English), the Museum of Anthropology in Munich <c.schetter@uni-bonn.de> or <http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~iv0/aga>.
June 30, London, UK, conference on "Historical, Cultural and Intellectual Perspectives on the Left in Iran," Lecture Theatre, SOAS: <sc45@soas.ac.uk>.
July 2-5, Cambridge, UK, BRISMES Conference 2000, "Writing the Middle East," Centre of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, Cambridge U: <oriental-mes-admin@lists.cam.ac.uk>, <http://www.cmeis.cam.ac.uk>.
July 5, Cambridge, UK, Annual public lecture series as a memorial to the late Professor J.D. Pearson, "Victorian periodicals and the Middle East" by Paul Auchterlonie, 1200 in the Morison Room of Cambridge U. Library. <gjr@ula.cam.ac.uk>.
July 17-19, London, UK, conference on "Historic Oman: Cultures, Contacts, Environment," organized by the Anglo-Omani Society and Dr. Julian Reade at the British Museum: <jreade@british-museum.ac.uk>, <http://oman.org/conf2000.htm>.
Correction: Thanks to Prof. Efraim Kleiman for pointing out a small correction to Ely Karmon's article on Hamas (MERIA, Vol. 4, No. 1). He notes that the correct date for the suicide bombing in the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall was August 1997, not 1998. The correction has been made in the article's text on our site.
Awards: Lycos, Top 5% Site; Arab E-Journal, Publication of the month; Selection, Scout Report for Social Sciences; Award, Newsbytes news wire; LinksGo Key Resource Award//MERIA is indexed in Cambridge University's Index Islamicus. Staff: Barry Rubin, editor; Assistant Editors: Linda Sharaby (editorial); Cameron Brown (administrative). London representative: Lawrence Joffe. Canadian representative: Brent Sasley.
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