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Primer on Palestine, Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict
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MER 205 Table of Contents

From the Editors

Our intent with this issue is simple: to present a critical evaluation of the current state of the field of Middle East Studies. We focus centrally on the US but also look at Middle East studies in other parts of the world, highlighting some of the important issues that have shaped the field. A 1975 issue of this magazine addressed the determining imprint of US policy interests on the development of a "Middle East Studies Network" of institutions, foundations, security agencies and influential scholars. This issue charts some of the key developments since that time--new trends, debates and greater diversity as well as the continuing influence of state policy and power.

Scholarly debates and agendas are produced through and reflect larger intellectual and political forces. Middle East studies in the US emerged as a field of "area studies" after WWII, concurrent with the study of various other regions. The transformations in area studies over the last half-century have been shaped largely by the ascendancy of the US in the global order. An abiding concern, raised by several of the articles here, is the way in which Middle East studies intersects with policymaking and the demand for and use of information by the political establishment. More broadly, the end of the Cold War and trends toward the globalization of liberalism raise new questions about the direction and continued existence of the field. Analyzing the political economy of Middle East studies also raises questions about the interplay of various "actors" and institutions, and the scholarly and political agendas governing the centers of intellectual activity. We address some of these questions here.

We also would like to inform our readers that on January 1, 1998, Blackwell Publishers will assume responsibility for management of the circulation, promotion and distribution of Middle East Report--all functions that MERIP's small staff has performed in the past. Under this new arrangement, MERIP will remain completely independent both organizationally and editorially. We will continue to produce the magazine completely "in-house" at MERIP, both with respect to editorial content and layout.

Blackwell will represent us at book fairs and conferences that we would otherwise be unable to attend. They will help us get in touch with subscription agents and book stores around the world and promote the magazine through their advertising literature and online services.

By turning circulation, promotion and distribution tasks over to Blackwell, we will be able to use our limited staff resources more efficiently. We also hope to save money by working with Blackwell. Because of economies of scale (they represent more than 200 journals and magazines), they expect to be able to reduce our printing costs substantially, and we anticipate savings in other areas.

While we at MERIP will no longer have the daily pleasure of interacting with subscribers who call with questions about their subscriptions, we very much hope that you will feel free to continue to call us at our office (202-223-3677) to share your views about the magazine or MERIP's other activities.

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MERIP OP-EDS

A Country at a Crossroads
 The Austin-American Statesman (Austin, Texas)
November 9, 2007
Kamran Asdar Ali

"A very frank discussion"— so President Bush described his Nov. 7 telephone conversation with Pervez Musharraf, four days after the Pakistani general imposed a state of emergency and dissolved the high court expected to rule his continued presidency unconstitutional. And frank the discussion probably was: In the face of spirited protest in Pakistan, and a querulous press in Washington, back-channel pressure succeeded in persuading Musharraf to promise parliamentary elections. Yet the generous U.S. aid earmarked for Pakistan — on top of nearly $10 billion since 2001 — is quite evidently not at risk.

What may be at risk is Musharraf's tenure as head of the military government. Full story>>

Waging Peace, Step by Step
 Garden City Telegram
October 2007
Chris Toensing

The war debate in Washington is bogged down. Partisan rancor is one reason why, and bipartisan desire for US hegemony in the oil-rich Persian Gulf is another. But many Americans are vexed by a nobler concern: that a “precipitous” US departure from Iraq would leave intensified civil war, ethnic-sectarian cleansing and massive refugee flows in its wake. This concern is legitimate. Unfortunately, the sad fact is that Iraq’s civil war and humanitarian emergency have grown steadily worse as the US military deployment there wears on. Full Story>>

Israel's Military Court System Is the Model to Avoid
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
October 28, 2007
Lisa Hajjar

Should the United States, seeking to recalibrate the balance between security and liberty in the "war on terror," emulate Israel in its treatment of Palestinian detainees? That is the position that Guantanamo detainee lawyers Avi Stadler and John Chandler of Atlanta, and some others, have advocated. That people in U.S. custody could be held incommunicado for years without charges, and could be prosecuted or indefinitely detained on the basis of confessions extracted with torture is worse than a national disgrace. It is an assault on the foundations of the rule of law. Full Story>>

Israel's Occupation Remains Poisonous
 The Mountain Mail
 July 26, 2007
Lori Allen

There is an oft-told Palestinian allegory about a family who complained their house was small and cramped. In response, the father brought the farm animals inside -- the goat, the sheep and the chickens all crowded into the house. Then, one by one, he moved the animals back outside. By the time the last chicken left, the family felt such relief they never complained of the lack of elbow room again. Full Story>>

 
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