Recommended for These Courses
Description
Now in its third edition, The Modern History of Iraq places in historical perspective the crises and upheavals that continue to afflict the country. The book focuses on several important themes: the search for national identity in a multiethnic, multireligious state; the struggle to achieve economic development and modernity in a traditional society; and the political dynamics that have led to the current situation. Phebe Marr draws on published sources in Arabic and English, personal interviews, and frequent visits to the country to produce a remarkably lucid and readable account of the emergence of contemporary Iraq.
This edition features three new chapters that bring readers up to date on events since the U.S. invasion and give a clearer picture of the political, social, economic, and ideological consequences of the recent upheaval. Marr provides an insightful overview of the current political scene—Iraq’s new political elites; emerging figures, parties, constituencies, and support; and foreign influences. Marr also offers a uniquely penetrating analysis of Iraq’s current social and economic affairs, including the decline of the middle class, refugee displacement, the economics of oil, the status of women and ethnic groups, and the rise of sectarianism.
About the Author
Phebe Marr is a noted scholar and historian of the Middle East and a leading consultant and lecturer on Iraqi politics. She currently serves on the editorial board of the Middle East Journal and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Middle East Institute. Dr. Marr is also a member of the board of the Middle East Policy Council and of the Hollings Center, an international center for Middle Eastern–Western dialog. A former senior fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace, she has published numerous scholarly articles, chapters, and reports and has taught Middle East history at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and California State University, Stanislaus.
Praise for the Third Edition:
“I have been using Phebe Marr's The Modern History of Iraq in my upper-division undergraduate courses for years. The students have always enjoyed the book as a compendium of information and facilitator of discussion. It is detailed, yet not too pedantic, and it is readable without sacrificing academic integrity. Her third edition is most welcome, as the time elasped since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 has allowed for insight and interpretation into the events surrounding the invasion and its important aftermath. While there are many books on Iraq that have come out since 2003, none have the combination of coverage and recent and current events situated within the modern history of Iraq going back two centuries. One cannot begin to comprehend the Iraq of today without a thorough understanding of its historical context, and Marr's book expertly provides both.” —David W. Lesch, Professor of Middle East History, Trinity University, author of The Middle East and the United States
“This book aims to present a ‘clear, readable one-volume account of the emergence of modern Iraq and the forces that shaped it.’ Marr (member of the Counsel on Foreign Relations and the Middle East Institute) accomplishes the formidable task with the best one-volume study of the subject in English….A very valuable, comprehensive, informative, balanced, objective study, with excellent bibliography, notes, and charts. Highly recommended.” –Choice
Praise for Previous Editions:
“This is a tour de force of the history of modern Iraq, probably the most turbulent history in the 20th century Middle East. . . . This is a highly intricate political, social and economic history, yet Marr’s account remains fluent and lucid throughout. Reading the book is sheer pleasure also because it brings together profound understanding of the people and the land, filling many gaps in our knowledge and creating a rich tapestry that is rarely seen in contemporary historical literature.” —Amatzia Baram, University of Haifa; Senior Fellow at the US Institute of Peace
“This comprehensive work provides a wealth of detail and acute insights into the evolution of modern Iraq while remaining readable and clear in style and structure. It should prove indispensable for academics and students as well as for journalists and policy-makers seeking to understand the development of contemporary Iraq.” —Bernard Reich, George Washington University
“The Modern History of Iraq is a solid work of historical research, well-written and extremely well-organized, rich in content and texture, compact, easy to read, and totally free of bias…. a clear and readable one-volume account of the emergence of the new state and the forces that created it.” —Jerusalem Post Magazine
“The best one-volume work on Iraq in English, or in any other language of which I am aware…. The comprehensive coverage of Iraq’s economic and social history, as well as the political, will be welcome d by people interested in the Middle East, lay and specialist alike.” —Middle East Journal
“Marr has written an authoritative work that meets a great need: an up-to-date, readable, and comprehensive treatment of recent Iraqi history.” —AAPSS Annals
“The author has specialized in the study of Iraq for some years and this is evident in the authority of the scholarship that is presented here. Utilizing primary and secondary sources in Arabic and interviews with key personalities extending over some years, the analysis is sound and persuasive.” —American Arab Affairs
“A timely, comprehensive, and much-needed modern history of Iraq…. Marr has accomplished an excellent blending of personal interviews, statistical data, and secondary sources. The book is a must for graduates students, undergraduates, and the general reader concerned with the development of insight and understanding of present-day Middle East problems.” —Choice
“(Marr) has thus produced a fine example of history at its best. In fact, this may well be the best book on modern Iraq now available… Moreover, Marr has written her book in a style easily accessible to students and nonspecialists. The more informed reader will benefit from the wealth of material brought together in one volume.” —Frank Tachau, University of Illinois, Chicago
Preface
Note on Transliteration
1. The Land and People of Modern Iraq
2. The British Mandate, 1920–1932
3. The Erosion of the British Legacy, 1932–1945
4. The End of the Monarchy, 1946–1958
5. The Qasim Era, 1958–1963
6. The Arab Nationalists in Power, 1963–1968
7. The Era of Ba’th Party Rule, 1968–1979
8. The Saddam Husain Regime, 1979–1989
9. The Saddam Husain Regime, 1990–2003
10. U.S. Nation-Building in Iraq, 2003–2006
11. The Stabilization of Iraq, 2007–2011
12. Economic, Social, and Cultural Change in Iraq, 2007-2011
Appendix: Tables
Notes
Glossary
Political Personalities
Bibliography
Index
Order from an online bookseller
Find a local bookseller
(Check your local Yellow Pages for a bookstore near you.)
International online orders
Domestic and International offline orders
The Perseus Books Group
Customer Service Department
1094 Flex Drive
Jackson, TN 38301
Return to top
