Middle East in the Global Era

Sallama Shaker is the former Ambassador of Egypt to Canada and a visiting professor at Yale University. She was the first woman diplomat to be appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt for American and Latin American Affairs. Currently, Dr. Shaker is a Full Clinical Professor of Middle East & International Studies at Claremont Graduate University. She holds a Ph.D. in international development from American University in Washington, D.C., and obtained her master's degree from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Shaker's research focuses on the challenges facing countries in the Middle East and North Africa, the feminization of poverty, and building peace in the Middle East. Ambassador Shaker is fully fledged to teaching United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Holistic Peace.Steven Childs is an assistant professor of political science at California State University, San Bernardino, where he teaches courses on the comparative politics of the Middle East and Middle East security. He holds a Ph.D. in world and comparative politics from Claremont Graduate University.

"Students rarely get the benefit of a senior diplomat's vast experience and a comprehensive, scholarly review of one of the world's most troubled regions, all presented with exceptional cultural and ethical sensitivity in one book. Now, with this book, they can." Nicholas OnufProfessor EmeritusFlorida International University"This timely volume tackles some of the most pressing political, economic, and humanitarian issues facing the Middle East and North Africa in the aftermath of the 2011 uprisings. A must-read for students of political science, international relations, and Middle East studies, as well a valuable resource for regional scholars." Marcia C. Inhorn, PhD, MPHWilliam K. Lanman, Jr. ProfessorAnthropology and International AffairsChair, Council on Middle East StudiesYale University"The Middle East in the Global Era is an important and much-needed scholarly book on the current state of the Middle East in a global context. The text covers a vast array of topics for the region including issues related to education as well as gender. This is an outstanding text for any courses exploring issues on the Middle East." Linda M. Perkins, Ph.D. Associate University Professor and Director of Applied Gender StudiesClaremont Graduate University"A thoughtful and engagingly illustrated primer on Middle Eastern studies. It articulates the major issues facing the Middle Eastern countries in the 21st century and how can we deal with them. Shaker and Childs did a masterful job in addressing the Middle Eastern countries' challenges following the Arab spring."Marc MassoudProfessor EmeritusMcKenna Claremont University"The textbook, The Middle East in the Global Era, was inspired by a popular course designed to broaden the perspectives of graduate students from multiple disciplines – politics, economics, cultural studies, ethics, women's studies – on the Middle East. Stimulated by the materials gathered in this textbook, American students and their international counterparts, have engaged in spirited debates and moving testimonials as they worked together on a global understanding of the Middle East. Their tributes to the course were impressive." Karen Jo TorjesenProfessor EmeritusSchool of Arts and HumanitiesClaremont Graduate University"Providing multiple perspectives in a part of the world that is complex and troubled, this book offers current arguments for why the challenges of this region reverberate around the globe. Applying history to the story of the Middle East, casting an inquiring eye to real challenges and events, this book invites the reader to consider the possible amongst each nation's struggle for stability in self-rule, peace efforts, gender equity, and citizen economic opportunity." Janette NewmanScholar and specialistUN Sustainable Development Goals and Global Education"This book builds upon the unique diplomatic experience and scholarly knowledge of my colleague, Dr. Sallama Shaker, who has served both as deputy foreign minister of Egypt and as a professor in leading American universities. It presents a richly detailed analysis of the historical and political forces, cultures, and religions shaping the nations of the Middle East and Northern Africa, with a focus on the Arab nations. Those forces provide the context for launching war or creating peace. Having for decades hoped to see an enduring peace between Israel and her neighbors, I especially resonated to the closing, capstone article by Dr. Shaker (with Joel Martinez). This article is a remarkable guide towards transformative leadership to create holistic peace. The authors discuss how we can build upon the transcendent efforts of Anwar Sadat and Yitzhak Rabin and conclude, "….the odds are good and never has an opportunity for peace been more conceivable."David Eli DrewPlatt Professor of EducationClaremont Graduate University