CivilSociety Resource / Reference Library
Entrepreneurship, personal development, life coaching, return migration, research on inter-communal stress, and the Middle East
Listed by author, with links to Amazon.com for more information (when possible)
See also: The WWW Virtual Library on Migration and Ethnic Relations
Resources are listed below, and also listed onto a separate page for each topic
Entrepreneurship, personal development, life coaching, return migration, research on inter-communal stress, and the Middle East
Listed by author, with links to Amazon.com for more information (when possible)
See also: The WWW Virtual Library on Migration and Ethnic Relations
Resources are listed below, and also listed onto a separate page for each topic
Topics
I. Middle East (General)
2. Iran
3. Iraq
4. Belief and Cultural Systems
5. Relief and Development Systems
6. Economics and Investment
7. Business Development and Entreneurship
8. Personal Development and Life Coaching
9. Migration, Assimilation and Integration
10. Repatriation and Reintegration
11. Civil Society
12. Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Systems
13. Technology
14. Writing, Publishing, Marketing
I. Middle East (General)
2. Iran
3. Iraq
4. Belief and Cultural Systems
5. Relief and Development Systems
6. Economics and Investment
7. Business Development and Entreneurship
8. Personal Development and Life Coaching
9. Migration, Assimilation and Integration
10. Repatriation and Reintegration
11. Civil Society
12. Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Systems
13. Technology
14. Writing, Publishing, Marketing
I. Middle East (General)
Gabrieli, Francesco. Arab Historians of the Crusades
A considerable amount of history during the early Middle Ages was written by Middle Easterners, and their scholarship should be taken seriously, as shown in this book.
Goldberg, E., Kasaba, R., and Migdal, J. Rules and Rights in the Middle East: Democracy, Law, and Society
Glubb, John. (Stein & Day,1988). A Short History of the Arab Peoples
Excellent short review of who is where and how they differ from each other. Written in detail, but easily understood by non-experts and non-historians, this book will give you a strong understanding of how the current crises are merely continuations of what has happened before, but yet also the hope of seeing patterns in how conflicts were resolved in the past.
Hourani, Albert. History of the Arab Peoples
This is a very detailed account of the main tribes and leaders and social movements that shaped the foundations of the Middle East as we know it today. The index is well-developed, which will make it much easier for you to find information when you need it, and have to skim and re-skim large portions to find information about a certain region or time period.
Jabar, Faleh and Dawod, Hosham. Tribes and Power: Nationalism and Ethnicity in the Middle East
This is one of the few works that can give you a view of the Middle East from the viewpoint of tribal and clan loyalties.
Lamb, David. The Arabs
Maalouf, Amin. Crusades Through Arab Eyes
This book explains the crusades as primarily political invasions, without much true spirituality involved for many participants. He shows, interestingly, that many Christians were better treated under Muslim rulers than under the rule of Europeans. You will benefit from seeing how there were good people on all sides of the conflicts, as well as the bad.
An important part of this book, is the Epilogue. In this summary, a comparison is made of the "Franj-administered" and "Occidental-administered" territories, with emphasis on the rights and responsibilities of rulers and subjects. There is a lot of wisdom in this comparison, and should be studied well by those attempting to envision institution-building in the future. Especially when any act of violence against the western lands or westerners can be portrayed in Arab media simply as vengeance for expeditions in 1191AD.
Mansfield, Peter. The Arabs
Maybury, Richard The Thousand Year War in the Mideast: How It Affects You Today
Best historical perspective on the insider/outsider and local/foreign tensions in the Middle East. The approach given by Maybury will clear up questions you may have about imperialism and political domination as they are attributed to western powers--there have been massacres and despots and wicked abuses of power in the Middle East since the beginning of time. There are no simple resolutions to the conflicts of today, so at least attempt to understand why and how the conflicts continue to simmer until they occasionally break out in open war. Please read it!
Miles, Hugh. Al Jazeera : How Arab TV News Challenges America
Analyses why and how the agenda of Al Jazeera Television seems so opposite to what is shown on mainline western news shows. You will gain from this book at least a few more diverse opinions about why diversity in media is healthier than uniformity, and why there will always be a need for other perspectives on how social events in the Middle East are portrayed. The author does attempt to compare and contrast western with Middle Eastern media portrayals of the same events, but could have done more to show not just "truth" as broadcast, but rather, "perceptions of that truth" as received by the audiences.
Nydell, Margaret K. Understanding Arabs: A Guide for Westerners
You will find this to be one of the very best overviews of the main values and ideals that westerners find unusual or uncomfortable. This book gives tremendous help to move beyond "this is wrong" towards "this is different."
Patai, Raphael. The Arab Mind
Pryce-Jones, David. The Closed Circle: An Interpretation of the Arabs
Pressfield, Steven. The Afghan Campaign: A Novel
Middle Eastern tribes vs. western imperialism. Both fight for honor, or to avoid shame, but the rhetoric appeals to different senses of duty and obligation, one at the group level and one at the individual level. This excellent presentation of West vs. East is wrapped in the story of Alexander of Macedonia vs. Afghanistan.
Said, Edward. Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How we see the rest of the world
Said, Edward. Orientalism
Schwartz, Peter. Scenarios for the Middle East, Keynote Presentation to the World Affairs Council, 6/2005
The full presentation on how to project trends into the future of the Middle East; this is (was?) downloadable.
Schwedler, Jilian, ed. Toward Civil Society in the Middle East?: A Primer
Excellent compendium of thoughts and analyses of social systems in the Middle East. You will find this a well-documented overview of social systems thinking within the non-commercial sectors.
Scudder, Lewis R. (Historical Series of the Reformed Church in America, No 30). The Arabian Mission's Story: In Search of Abraham's Other Son
This is an extremely well-documented history of modern Christian activity in the Arabian/Persian Gulf. The extensive bibliography and references make it a great resource on the modernization of the Arabian peninsula, Iraq and Iran.
Shaaban, Bouthaina. Both Right and Left Handed: Arab Women Talk About Their Lives
Van Ess, John. 1943. Meet the Arab
Personal account of a lifetime in the Middle East, beginning in the very early 1900s. Told from a first-person perspective, it is a biography immersed i the modernization of the Middle East and shows the changes brought by war, and by oil wealth.
2. Iran
Alavi, Nasrin. We Are Iran: The Persian Blogs
A history of thousands of Persian blogs, from all ways of life and motivation, this gives an overview of how Iranian culture and politics are influenced by blogging.
Amirahmadi, Hooshang and Entessar, Ander. Iran and the Arab World
This is an interesting portrayal of relations between the ancient cultures of Persians and Arabs.
Banuazizi, Ali. Social Stratification in the Middle East and North Africa: A Bibliographic Survey
Banuazizi, Ali and Weiner, Myron. The State, Religion, and Ethnic Politics: Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan
Boroujerdi, Mehrzad. Iranian Intellectuals and the West: The Tormented Triumph of Nativism
What would Iranians think about themselves if they could remove what they think about the West, and what they think the West thinks about them? Very interesting approach, and useful to get into a non-Media viewpoint.
Browne, Edward Granville. A Literary History of Persia
Two thousand pages of poetry and prose in four volumes. The standard reference book on the thinking of the past that defined the mind and heart of Persia.
Donaldson, Dwight. Shi'Ite Islam: A History of Islam in Iran and Irak
Foltz, Richard C. Spirituality in the Land of the Noble: how Iran shaped the World's Religions
Easy-to-read commentary on the influence of ancient Persian social and religious systems on other major world religions. He stops short of showing the impact of Arab culture onto the Persian ethics and values. That would be a useful next book.
Foroughi E, Misajon R, Cummins RA. "The relationships between migration, social support, and social integration on quality of life"
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE, 18, (3): 156-167, 2001
Gheissari, Ali. Iranian Intellectuals in the Twentieth Century
Describes Iranian academics and intelligentsia from 1905 to the early 1980s.
Gheissari, Ali and Nasr, Vali. Iran's Democracy Debate: an article _Middle East Policy_, Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Page: 94(13)
Downloadable article on the interpretations and dreams of democracy in the Iran context, 6/2004.
Holzmann, John, ed. Church of the East (Edited and Condensed Version of Nestorian Missionary Enterprise. Rev. John Steward)
One of the few references on the pre-Islamic Christian presence in Iran.
Kamrava, Mehran. "The Civil Society Discourse in Iran". _British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies_ (2001), 28(2), 165–185.
Loveday, Helen. Iran: Historic and Cultural Persia
MacKey, Sandra. The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation
Metz, Helen Chapin. Iran: A Country Study
Milani, Abbas. Lost Wisdom: Rethinking Modernity in Iran
Ancient traditions supported modern concepts of democracy, freedom of speech, and equality of men and women, but seem to have been lost in the fixations with religion and western cultures.
Namazi, Baquer. "Civil Society Action for Good Association Law: The Case of Iran". _MDF3_, Cairo, Egypt, March 2000.
Addresses legal constraints to greater contribution of NGOs to development in Iran.
Nasr, Seyyed Hossein and Razavi, Mehdi Amin. Islamic Intellectual Tradition in Persia
Philosophy in this book is the integration of the rational and mystical processes.
Povey, Elaheh Rostami. "Trade unions and women’s NGOs: diverse civil society organisations in Iran". _Development in Practice_, Volume 14, Numbers 1 & 2, February 2004.
Rubin, Barry. Paved With Good Intentions: The American Experience and Iran
Tabataba'i, 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn, (translated. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein). Shi'Ite Islam
Albany: State University of New York Press, 1977. This book seems out of print, but is a valuable contribution to the social and political roots of Shi'ite Islam.
Alavi, Nasrin. We Are Iran: The Persian Blogs
A history of thousands of Persian blogs, from all ways of life and motivation, this gives an overview of how Iranian culture and politics are influenced by blogging.
Amirahmadi, Hooshang and Entessar, Ander. Iran and the Arab World
This is an interesting portrayal of relations between the ancient cultures of Persians and Arabs.
Banuazizi, Ali. Social Stratification in the Middle East and North Africa: A Bibliographic Survey
Banuazizi, Ali and Weiner, Myron. The State, Religion, and Ethnic Politics: Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan
Boroujerdi, Mehrzad. Iranian Intellectuals and the West: The Tormented Triumph of Nativism
What would Iranians think about themselves if they could remove what they think about the West, and what they think the West thinks about them? Very interesting approach, and useful to get into a non-Media viewpoint.
Browne, Edward Granville. A Literary History of Persia
Two thousand pages of poetry and prose in four volumes. The standard reference book on the thinking of the past that defined the mind and heart of Persia.
Donaldson, Dwight. Shi'Ite Islam: A History of Islam in Iran and Irak
Foltz, Richard C. Spirituality in the Land of the Noble: how Iran shaped the World's Religions
Easy-to-read commentary on the influence of ancient Persian social and religious systems on other major world religions. He stops short of showing the impact of Arab culture onto the Persian ethics and values. That would be a useful next book.
Foroughi E, Misajon R, Cummins RA. "The relationships between migration, social support, and social integration on quality of life"
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE, 18, (3): 156-167, 2001
Gheissari, Ali. Iranian Intellectuals in the Twentieth Century
Describes Iranian academics and intelligentsia from 1905 to the early 1980s.
Gheissari, Ali and Nasr, Vali. Iran's Democracy Debate: an article _Middle East Policy_, Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Page: 94(13)
Downloadable article on the interpretations and dreams of democracy in the Iran context, 6/2004.
Holzmann, John, ed. Church of the East (Edited and Condensed Version of Nestorian Missionary Enterprise. Rev. John Steward)
One of the few references on the pre-Islamic Christian presence in Iran.
Kamrava, Mehran. "The Civil Society Discourse in Iran". _British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies_ (2001), 28(2), 165–185.
Loveday, Helen. Iran: Historic and Cultural Persia
MacKey, Sandra. The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation
Metz, Helen Chapin. Iran: A Country Study
Milani, Abbas. Lost Wisdom: Rethinking Modernity in Iran
Ancient traditions supported modern concepts of democracy, freedom of speech, and equality of men and women, but seem to have been lost in the fixations with religion and western cultures.
Namazi, Baquer. "Civil Society Action for Good Association Law: The Case of Iran". _MDF3_, Cairo, Egypt, March 2000.
Addresses legal constraints to greater contribution of NGOs to development in Iran.
Nasr, Seyyed Hossein and Razavi, Mehdi Amin. Islamic Intellectual Tradition in Persia
Philosophy in this book is the integration of the rational and mystical processes.
Povey, Elaheh Rostami. "Trade unions and women’s NGOs: diverse civil society organisations in Iran". _Development in Practice_, Volume 14, Numbers 1 & 2, February 2004.
Rubin, Barry. Paved With Good Intentions: The American Experience and Iran
Tabataba'i, 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn, (translated. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein). Shi'Ite Islam
Albany: State University of New York Press, 1977. This book seems out of print, but is a valuable contribution to the social and political roots of Shi'ite Islam.
3. Iraq
Adams, Doris G. Iraq's People and Resources
1980 study of the Iraqi peoples': demographics, sociality, aspirations.
Al-Khayat, Sana. Honor and Shame: Women in Modern Iraq
Al-Nasrawi, Abbas. The Economy of Iraq, Oil, Wars, Destruction of Development and Prospects, 1950-2010
Excellent overview of the impact of oil and globalization of the economy of Iraq.
Anderson, Liam. The Future of Iraq : Dictatorship, Democracy or Division?
Axelgard, Frederick. Iraq in transition: A political, economic, and strategic perspective (Westview special studies on the Middle East)
Baali, Fuad. Relation of the People to the Land in Southern Iraq
Batatu, Hanna. The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movements of Iraq
Benedikter, R. "Overcoming ethnic division in Iraq: A model from Europe"
SECURITY DIALOGUE, 35, (2): 263-266, JUNE 2004
BERGEN, P. and Reynolds, A. "Blowback Revisited: today's insurgents in Iraq are tomorrow's terrorists" FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 84(6): 2-6, November-December 2005.
Braude, Joseph. The New Iraq: Rebuilding the Country for Its People, the Middle East, and the World
Chatelard, Geraldine. Working Paper No. 61, 'Jordan as a transit country: semi-protectionist immigration policies and their Effects on Iraqi Forced Migrants' (Florence, Italy: Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, 2002).
CivilSocietyIraq References & Links
resources page with some links and resources in addition to those mentioned here
Dobbins, James, et al. America's Role in Nation-Building : From Germany to Iraq
Drake, Laura. 'Implosion of Iraq' in Middle East Insight March 1996.
The first work I know of that addressed the potential return to tribal warfare and feudalism in Iraq.
El Sakkakini, Widad. First Among Sufis: The Life and Thought of Rabia al-Adawiyya, the Woman Saint of Basra
Fernea, Elizabeth. Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village
Personal encounters with village people of southern Iraq in the early 1900s.
Fernea, Robert and Louis, William. The Iraqi Revolution of 1958: The Old Social Classes Revisited
Fernea, John. Shaykh and Effendi;: Changing patterns of authority among the El Shabana of southern Iraq
Friedman, Thomas. 'It's No Vietnam', New York Times, OP-ED, October 30, 2003
Holzmann, John, ed. Church of the East (Edited and Condensed Version of Nestorian Missionary Enterprise. Rev. John Steward )
Significant description of the early spread of Christianity through the Middle East into Central Asia. There was a considerable Christian influence in the development of the Middle Eastern tribes into cooperative societies working for the common good, overcoming traditional tribal rivalries and animosities.
International Crisis Group. . IRAQ: BUILDING A NEW SECURITY STRUCTURE, 23 December 2003. ICG Middle East Report Nj20. Baghdad/Brussels.
This excellent report gives a full history and recommendations to improve the security situation in Iraq.
Iraq Institute for Strategic Studies. Beirut.
Outstanding collection of reports, books, and links on many aspects of Iraq history, politics and development.
Jabar, Faleh A. The Shi'Ite Movement in Iraq
Jabar, Faleh A. Ayatollahs, Sufis and Ideologues : State, Religion and Social Movements in Iraq
Jabar, Faleh and Dawod, Hosham. Tribes and Power: Nationalism and Ethnicity in the Middle East
Joffe AH. "The environmental legacy of Saddam Husayn: The archaeology of totalitarianism in modern Iraq"
CRIME LAW AND SOCIAL CHANGE, 33, (4): 313-328, JUNE 2000
Kay, David. Denial and Deception: Iraq and Beyond. 1994, Consortium for the Study of Intelligence, Washington, DC.
Mackay, Sandra. The Reckoning: Iraq and the Legacy of Saddam Hussein
Malinowski, Jon C. Iraq: Geographic Perspectives
Very concise treatment of Iraq, used in western university classes with Middle Eastern topics
Marr, Phebe. Modern History of Iraq
This is the standard reference book on how modern Iraq came to be, and what were the missed opportunities for tribes to cooperate to build a greater and civil world power.
Metz, Helen Chapin. Iraq: A Country Study (Area Handbook Series)
The standard reference book on Iraq with overviews, statistics.
Nakash, Yitzhak The Shi'is of Iraq
Description of Shi'a culture, with comparison to Sunni expressions in Iraq. Very well documented and referenced, with good insights into the very significant differences between the tribes and tribal alliances of Iraq.
Nestorian.org. The Fall of Baghdad in 1258 to the grandsons of Genghis Khan
Scudder, Lewis R. III The Arabian Mission's Story: In Search of Abraham's Other Son
The only comprehensive history of the western Christian contribution to the Gulf region, including the early building of hospitals and schools and nurturing of the self-development of the modern Gulf Arab city-states. Well-documented and supported with personal anecdotes of the lives and times of development work in the early 1900s.
Tabataba'i, 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn, translated. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein _Shi'ite Islam_ (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1977).
UNICEF. Child Survival in Wartime: A Case Study from Iraq (Paris: UNICEF, 1990).
UNHCR. Preliminary Repatriation and Reintegration Plan for Iraq (Geneva: UNHCR, 2003).
Van Ess, Dorothy. "Fatima and her Sisters." (John Day Company, New York, 1961)
I have a copy of this book (out of print at present) and find it a very useful personal story of a journey into the homes and lives of Iraqi women living in the early 1900s in southern Iraq.
Van Ess, Dorothy. Pioneers in the Arab World
Van Ess, John. Spoken Arabic of Iraq
Wagoner, Merrill. Spoken Iraqi Arabic
Wilbur, Ken. "War in Iraq", viewed 22/February/2004
Wimmer, Andreas. 'Democracy and Ethnoreligious Conflict in Iraq' in _Survival_ 45 no. 4, Winter 2003-4, 111-134.
Adams, Doris G. Iraq's People and Resources
1980 study of the Iraqi peoples': demographics, sociality, aspirations.
Al-Khayat, Sana. Honor and Shame: Women in Modern Iraq
Al-Nasrawi, Abbas. The Economy of Iraq, Oil, Wars, Destruction of Development and Prospects, 1950-2010
Excellent overview of the impact of oil and globalization of the economy of Iraq.
Anderson, Liam. The Future of Iraq : Dictatorship, Democracy or Division?
Axelgard, Frederick. Iraq in transition: A political, economic, and strategic perspective (Westview special studies on the Middle East)
Baali, Fuad. Relation of the People to the Land in Southern Iraq
Batatu, Hanna. The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movements of Iraq
Benedikter, R. "Overcoming ethnic division in Iraq: A model from Europe"
SECURITY DIALOGUE, 35, (2): 263-266, JUNE 2004
BERGEN, P. and Reynolds, A. "Blowback Revisited: today's insurgents in Iraq are tomorrow's terrorists" FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 84(6): 2-6, November-December 2005.
Braude, Joseph. The New Iraq: Rebuilding the Country for Its People, the Middle East, and the World
Chatelard, Geraldine. Working Paper No. 61, 'Jordan as a transit country: semi-protectionist immigration policies and their Effects on Iraqi Forced Migrants' (Florence, Italy: Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, 2002).
CivilSocietyIraq References & Links
resources page with some links and resources in addition to those mentioned here
Dobbins, James, et al. America's Role in Nation-Building : From Germany to Iraq
Drake, Laura. 'Implosion of Iraq' in Middle East Insight March 1996.
The first work I know of that addressed the potential return to tribal warfare and feudalism in Iraq.
El Sakkakini, Widad. First Among Sufis: The Life and Thought of Rabia al-Adawiyya, the Woman Saint of Basra
Fernea, Elizabeth. Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village
Personal encounters with village people of southern Iraq in the early 1900s.
Fernea, Robert and Louis, William. The Iraqi Revolution of 1958: The Old Social Classes Revisited
Fernea, John. Shaykh and Effendi;: Changing patterns of authority among the El Shabana of southern Iraq
Friedman, Thomas. 'It's No Vietnam', New York Times, OP-ED, October 30, 2003
Holzmann, John, ed. Church of the East (Edited and Condensed Version of Nestorian Missionary Enterprise. Rev. John Steward )
Significant description of the early spread of Christianity through the Middle East into Central Asia. There was a considerable Christian influence in the development of the Middle Eastern tribes into cooperative societies working for the common good, overcoming traditional tribal rivalries and animosities.
International Crisis Group. . IRAQ: BUILDING A NEW SECURITY STRUCTURE, 23 December 2003. ICG Middle East Report Nj20. Baghdad/Brussels.
This excellent report gives a full history and recommendations to improve the security situation in Iraq.
Iraq Institute for Strategic Studies. Beirut.
Outstanding collection of reports, books, and links on many aspects of Iraq history, politics and development.
Jabar, Faleh A. The Shi'Ite Movement in Iraq
Jabar, Faleh A. Ayatollahs, Sufis and Ideologues : State, Religion and Social Movements in Iraq
Jabar, Faleh and Dawod, Hosham. Tribes and Power: Nationalism and Ethnicity in the Middle East
Joffe AH. "The environmental legacy of Saddam Husayn: The archaeology of totalitarianism in modern Iraq"
CRIME LAW AND SOCIAL CHANGE, 33, (4): 313-328, JUNE 2000
Kay, David. Denial and Deception: Iraq and Beyond. 1994, Consortium for the Study of Intelligence, Washington, DC.
Mackay, Sandra. The Reckoning: Iraq and the Legacy of Saddam Hussein
Malinowski, Jon C. Iraq: Geographic Perspectives
Very concise treatment of Iraq, used in western university classes with Middle Eastern topics
Marr, Phebe. Modern History of Iraq
This is the standard reference book on how modern Iraq came to be, and what were the missed opportunities for tribes to cooperate to build a greater and civil world power.
Metz, Helen Chapin. Iraq: A Country Study (Area Handbook Series)
The standard reference book on Iraq with overviews, statistics.
Nakash, Yitzhak The Shi'is of Iraq
Description of Shi'a culture, with comparison to Sunni expressions in Iraq. Very well documented and referenced, with good insights into the very significant differences between the tribes and tribal alliances of Iraq.
Nestorian.org. The Fall of Baghdad in 1258 to the grandsons of Genghis Khan
Scudder, Lewis R. III The Arabian Mission's Story: In Search of Abraham's Other Son
The only comprehensive history of the western Christian contribution to the Gulf region, including the early building of hospitals and schools and nurturing of the self-development of the modern Gulf Arab city-states. Well-documented and supported with personal anecdotes of the lives and times of development work in the early 1900s.
Tabataba'i, 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn, translated. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein _Shi'ite Islam_ (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1977).
UNICEF. Child Survival in Wartime: A Case Study from Iraq (Paris: UNICEF, 1990).
UNHCR. Preliminary Repatriation and Reintegration Plan for Iraq (Geneva: UNHCR, 2003).
Van Ess, Dorothy. "Fatima and her Sisters." (John Day Company, New York, 1961)
I have a copy of this book (out of print at present) and find it a very useful personal story of a journey into the homes and lives of Iraqi women living in the early 1900s in southern Iraq.
Van Ess, Dorothy. Pioneers in the Arab World
Van Ess, John. Spoken Arabic of Iraq
Wagoner, Merrill. Spoken Iraqi Arabic
Wilbur, Ken. "War in Iraq", viewed 22/February/2004
Wimmer, Andreas. 'Democracy and Ethnoreligious Conflict in Iraq' in _Survival_ 45 no. 4, Winter 2003-4, 111-134.
4. Belief and Cultural Systems
Copeland, Lennie and Grigg, Lewis. "Going International: How to make friends and deal effectively in the global marketplace"
Outstanding book for people working or hoping to work internationally. A video series by the same name offers practical and visual portrayals of the adventures of international and cross-cultural employment.
Dickens, Mark. Syriac and Nestorian History
Donaldson, Dwight. Shi'Ite Islam: A History of Islam in Iran and Irak
El Sakkakini, Widad. First Among Sufis: The Life and Thought of Rabia al-Adawiyya, the Woman Saint of Basra
Fuller, Graham E. and Francke, Rend Rahim The Arab Shi'a : The Forgotten Muslims
George, Timothy. Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad?
Study this book to keep in mind the distinctive differences between western (Christian) and eastern (Muslim) ways of seeing God. The linguistic and cultural patterns in the two worldviews are different, true, but the real differences are in the definition of The God, The Creator God, The Almighty One Who Is One. For Christians, The One God chose to reveal His Self in three types of personhoods who can be known and experienced by humans; for Muslims, that One God is not allowed to be more than a solitary, unitary, unknowable Creator who only reveals commands.
GlobalSecurity.Org
Links on Islam
Inglehart, R. Human Beliefs and Values: A Cross-Cultural Sourcebook, with CD of data
Compares worldviews and beliefs across geographic and cultural distances. I suggest also the website on "World Values Survey."
Inglehart, R. Islam, Gender, Culture, and Democracy: Findings from the World Values Survey and the European Values Survey
Compares worldviews of Islamic nations with those of other nations, and is a valuable source of data and theories seeking to explain differences between views of "normal" Muslim citizens compared with those of non-Islamic nations. There is data on Iran, but not (yet) on Iraq.
Jabar, Faleh A. The Shi'ite Movement in Iraq
Jabar, Faleh A. Ayatollahs, Sufis and Ideologues : State, Religion and Social Movements in Iraq
Maybury, Richard The Thousand Year War in the Mideast: How It Affects You Today
Best historical perspective on the insider/outsider and local/foreign tensions in the Middle East. The approach given by Maybury will clear up issues of imperialism and political domination. Please read it!
Musk, Bill A. Holy War: Why Do Some Mulsims Become Fundamentalist?
Bill Musk documents his sources like the academic he is, yet writes in a simple style to communicate clearly to practical needs. This is one of his latest books, after a series (see below) of very important books that portray the everyday worldview of Muslims. As a westerner with a lifetime interviewing Middle Easterners, he writes for westerners who find it difficult to reconcile the impressions we have that the Koran defines Muslim life, and the confusing (to us) mix of tradition and ancient script and modern fashion that is the real world of Islam. This book carefully explains why very few Muslims will ever become terrorists, and why generalizations are dangerous for them just as for us. For those living in fear of fundamentalists and criminals acting in the name of religion, any religion, this book is a great help.
Musk, Bill A. Passionate Believing: the "Fundamentalist" Face of Islam
This is another work defining lifestyles and belief systems that are not confined to Islam. For most of the world, fundamentalist is not a positive term, even though it means simply "someone who lives according to the core beliefs of a faith. It is a label applied to those who try to live what they say they believe. Some cross over into a hate religion. That is what this book shows. Some we should love for their simplicity of fervent faith. Others we may find more difficult to accomodate.
Musk, Bill A. Touching the Soul of Islam
This was Mr. Musks's work to clarify in simple writing the merging of Koranic principles and the real world of superstition and tradition that is the daily worldview that most Muslims try to live within. From 1995.
Musk, Bill A. Unseen Face of Islam
I consider this as Mr. Musk's greatest work, where he opens up clearly the full world of seen and unseen spirits, past and future dreams, and the conflicts between peace and war in the community of Islamic faith. From 1989.
Pressfield, Steven. The Afghan Campaign: A Novel
Middle Eastern tribes vs. western imperialism. Both fight for honor, or to avoid shame, but the rhetoric appeals to different senses of duty and obligation, one at the group level and one at the individual level. This excellent presentation of West vs. East is wrapped in the story of Alexander of Macedonia vs. Afghanistan.
Said, Edward W. Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How we see the rest of the world
Copeland, Lennie and Grigg, Lewis. "Going International: How to make friends and deal effectively in the global marketplace"
Outstanding book for people working or hoping to work internationally. A video series by the same name offers practical and visual portrayals of the adventures of international and cross-cultural employment.
Dickens, Mark. Syriac and Nestorian History
Donaldson, Dwight. Shi'Ite Islam: A History of Islam in Iran and Irak
El Sakkakini, Widad. First Among Sufis: The Life and Thought of Rabia al-Adawiyya, the Woman Saint of Basra
Fuller, Graham E. and Francke, Rend Rahim The Arab Shi'a : The Forgotten Muslims
George, Timothy. Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad?
Study this book to keep in mind the distinctive differences between western (Christian) and eastern (Muslim) ways of seeing God. The linguistic and cultural patterns in the two worldviews are different, true, but the real differences are in the definition of The God, The Creator God, The Almighty One Who Is One. For Christians, The One God chose to reveal His Self in three types of personhoods who can be known and experienced by humans; for Muslims, that One God is not allowed to be more than a solitary, unitary, unknowable Creator who only reveals commands.
GlobalSecurity.Org
Links on Islam
Inglehart, R. Human Beliefs and Values: A Cross-Cultural Sourcebook, with CD of data
Compares worldviews and beliefs across geographic and cultural distances. I suggest also the website on "World Values Survey."
Inglehart, R. Islam, Gender, Culture, and Democracy: Findings from the World Values Survey and the European Values Survey
Compares worldviews of Islamic nations with those of other nations, and is a valuable source of data and theories seeking to explain differences between views of "normal" Muslim citizens compared with those of non-Islamic nations. There is data on Iran, but not (yet) on Iraq.
Jabar, Faleh A. The Shi'ite Movement in Iraq
Jabar, Faleh A. Ayatollahs, Sufis and Ideologues : State, Religion and Social Movements in Iraq
Maybury, Richard The Thousand Year War in the Mideast: How It Affects You Today
Best historical perspective on the insider/outsider and local/foreign tensions in the Middle East. The approach given by Maybury will clear up issues of imperialism and political domination. Please read it!
Musk, Bill A. Holy War: Why Do Some Mulsims Become Fundamentalist?
Bill Musk documents his sources like the academic he is, yet writes in a simple style to communicate clearly to practical needs. This is one of his latest books, after a series (see below) of very important books that portray the everyday worldview of Muslims. As a westerner with a lifetime interviewing Middle Easterners, he writes for westerners who find it difficult to reconcile the impressions we have that the Koran defines Muslim life, and the confusing (to us) mix of tradition and ancient script and modern fashion that is the real world of Islam. This book carefully explains why very few Muslims will ever become terrorists, and why generalizations are dangerous for them just as for us. For those living in fear of fundamentalists and criminals acting in the name of religion, any religion, this book is a great help.
Musk, Bill A. Passionate Believing: the "Fundamentalist" Face of Islam
This is another work defining lifestyles and belief systems that are not confined to Islam. For most of the world, fundamentalist is not a positive term, even though it means simply "someone who lives according to the core beliefs of a faith. It is a label applied to those who try to live what they say they believe. Some cross over into a hate religion. That is what this book shows. Some we should love for their simplicity of fervent faith. Others we may find more difficult to accomodate.
Musk, Bill A. Touching the Soul of Islam
This was Mr. Musks's work to clarify in simple writing the merging of Koranic principles and the real world of superstition and tradition that is the daily worldview that most Muslims try to live within. From 1995.
Musk, Bill A. Unseen Face of Islam
I consider this as Mr. Musk's greatest work, where he opens up clearly the full world of seen and unseen spirits, past and future dreams, and the conflicts between peace and war in the community of Islamic faith. From 1989.
Pressfield, Steven. The Afghan Campaign: A Novel
Middle Eastern tribes vs. western imperialism. Both fight for honor, or to avoid shame, but the rhetoric appeals to different senses of duty and obligation, one at the group level and one at the individual level. This excellent presentation of West vs. East is wrapped in the story of Alexander of Macedonia vs. Afghanistan.
Said, Edward W. Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How we see the rest of the world
Sardar, Ziauddin Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim
A sort of travelogue of the varied types of truths of Islamic mainstream and fringe elements who each consider their own version of realty the best. Mr. Sardar writes well, and appropriately for a western audience. This excellent overview of how diverse the community of Islamic faith can be, and helped me to expand even further my appreciation for the ability of anyone to write objectively and critically of large belief systems.
Tabataba'i, 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn. (translated. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein). Shi'ite Islam
(Albany: State University of New York Press, 1977).
This a very useful work on Shi'a Islam from the inside looking outwards. Shiism is not just a religious path, it is a culture and way of life.
Zwemer, S.A. Arabia-Cradle of Islam
Zwemer was the pioneer of modern western missions in the Middle East and contributed significantly to the first establishment of schools, hospitals, and city infrastructures that enabled the great cities of the Gulf region to grow into significant world trading centers.
A sort of travelogue of the varied types of truths of Islamic mainstream and fringe elements who each consider their own version of realty the best. Mr. Sardar writes well, and appropriately for a western audience. This excellent overview of how diverse the community of Islamic faith can be, and helped me to expand even further my appreciation for the ability of anyone to write objectively and critically of large belief systems.
Tabataba'i, 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn. (translated. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein). Shi'ite Islam
(Albany: State University of New York Press, 1977).
This a very useful work on Shi'a Islam from the inside looking outwards. Shiism is not just a religious path, it is a culture and way of life.
Zwemer, S.A. Arabia-Cradle of Islam
Zwemer was the pioneer of modern western missions in the Middle East and contributed significantly to the first establishment of schools, hospitals, and city infrastructures that enabled the great cities of the Gulf region to grow into significant world trading centers.
5. Relief and Development Systems
Boyd, Ben Getting it there: A logistics handbook for relief and development
Logistics has crippled many armies, many corporations, and many humanitarian projects. The great visionary leaders can easily overlook the intricacy of details needed at the logistical level to make it possible for the great big dreams to become reality.
Cornish, Edward Futuring: The Exploration of the Future
This presents a grass-roots approach in collaborative future-making, without a top-down imposing more bureaucracy. Personally, it seems to me that many field-level decision-makers can be quite innovative and insightful, but their judgement is not trusted by administrators who control funding. Perhaps it is because administrators may not see the difference between book-keeping to put numbers in the right places and auditors to place value judgements on how money should be spent. Perhaps problems are because either administrators are former field workers promoted to a position they are not trained, gifted or equipped to handle, or it is due to lack of field experience and lack of personal involvement in field-level experiences and direct customer relations.
Couto, Richard To Give Their Gifts: Health, Community, and Democracy
Changing communities for the better requires innovation and leadership of the change process. Dr. Couto profiles "success stories" of twelve successful change agents" who battle ignorance, poverty, social barriers, and governments to improve the quality of life for community residents who had been neglected. I read a lot of this type book where many leaders or examples in particular sectors are interviewed and their differences and similarities are compared. This is heavier than my favorite (_Hindsights_ by Guy Kawasaki) and requires a lot of concentration to work through the rich details of how and why these leaders did create change. The most important point so far is that these are far more ordinary people with passion, not the brilliant and charismatic innovators more commonly held up as examples. Since I see myself as more of an ordinary person, this gives me hope that I can better encourage others and be a better catalyst in my daily life contacts. Thank you, Dick, for the gift of this book, and the many lessons you wrote in it --just for me!
Eade, D. & Williams, S. eds. Oxfam Handbook for Development and Relief (3-volume set)
Oxfam has documented their considerable experience in relief and development management, and this collection is very useful for project managers and decision makers.
Devereux, Stephen and Hoddinott, John, eds. Fieldwork in Developing Countries
How is research integrated into relief and development projects? How does research contribute to better improvement of quality of life? Devereux and Hoddinott contribute a very practical guide to working with community-based research teams.
Harrell-Bond, B.E. Imposing Aid: Emergency Assistance to Refugees
Pareja, M. "Preparing for a Rapid Livelihood Security Assessment" (Nairobi: CARE East Africa, 1997).
Roe, E. M. "Policy Analysis and Formulation for Sustainable Livelihood" (New York: UNDP, 1998).
UNHCR. Protecting Refugees: A Field Guide for NGOs
Vaux, Tony. (Oxfam) The Selfish Altruist
This is the best analysis I've seen of the charity/development tension, and how humanitarian projects can learn from and integrate with longterm development. You will gain from this book a wider appreciation of the ripple effects in an economy from rapid changes in the allocation of resources. You may be challenged to resolve the conflict between giving charity and building sustainable capacity for self-improvement.
Boyd, Ben Getting it there: A logistics handbook for relief and development
Logistics has crippled many armies, many corporations, and many humanitarian projects. The great visionary leaders can easily overlook the intricacy of details needed at the logistical level to make it possible for the great big dreams to become reality.
Cornish, Edward Futuring: The Exploration of the Future
This presents a grass-roots approach in collaborative future-making, without a top-down imposing more bureaucracy. Personally, it seems to me that many field-level decision-makers can be quite innovative and insightful, but their judgement is not trusted by administrators who control funding. Perhaps it is because administrators may not see the difference between book-keeping to put numbers in the right places and auditors to place value judgements on how money should be spent. Perhaps problems are because either administrators are former field workers promoted to a position they are not trained, gifted or equipped to handle, or it is due to lack of field experience and lack of personal involvement in field-level experiences and direct customer relations.
Couto, Richard To Give Their Gifts: Health, Community, and Democracy
Changing communities for the better requires innovation and leadership of the change process. Dr. Couto profiles "success stories" of twelve successful change agents" who battle ignorance, poverty, social barriers, and governments to improve the quality of life for community residents who had been neglected. I read a lot of this type book where many leaders or examples in particular sectors are interviewed and their differences and similarities are compared. This is heavier than my favorite (_Hindsights_ by Guy Kawasaki) and requires a lot of concentration to work through the rich details of how and why these leaders did create change. The most important point so far is that these are far more ordinary people with passion, not the brilliant and charismatic innovators more commonly held up as examples. Since I see myself as more of an ordinary person, this gives me hope that I can better encourage others and be a better catalyst in my daily life contacts. Thank you, Dick, for the gift of this book, and the many lessons you wrote in it --just for me!
Eade, D. & Williams, S. eds. Oxfam Handbook for Development and Relief (3-volume set)
Oxfam has documented their considerable experience in relief and development management, and this collection is very useful for project managers and decision makers.
Devereux, Stephen and Hoddinott, John, eds. Fieldwork in Developing Countries
How is research integrated into relief and development projects? How does research contribute to better improvement of quality of life? Devereux and Hoddinott contribute a very practical guide to working with community-based research teams.
Harrell-Bond, B.E. Imposing Aid: Emergency Assistance to Refugees
Pareja, M. "Preparing for a Rapid Livelihood Security Assessment" (Nairobi: CARE East Africa, 1997).
Roe, E. M. "Policy Analysis and Formulation for Sustainable Livelihood" (New York: UNDP, 1998).
UNHCR. Protecting Refugees: A Field Guide for NGOs
Vaux, Tony. (Oxfam) The Selfish Altruist
This is the best analysis I've seen of the charity/development tension, and how humanitarian projects can learn from and integrate with longterm development. You will gain from this book a wider appreciation of the ripple effects in an economy from rapid changes in the allocation of resources. You may be challenged to resolve the conflict between giving charity and building sustainable capacity for self-improvement.
6. Economics and Investment
Edelman, Ric New Rules of Money: 88 Strategies for Financial Success Today
Edelman, Ric The Truth About Money
Heilbroner, Robert L. The Worldly Philosophers: The lives, times and ideas of the great economic thinkers.
Hill, Napoleon Think and Grow Rich
Kiyosaki, Robert Cashflow for Kids: the boardgame
I play this game a LOT with adults. Why? Because it simplifies the essential facts of work and financial management. What are those essentials? Work is to earn income. That income is used to pay for expenses and to invest. The goal is to have enough investment income (passive income) to cover expenses so that work to earn more money is not necessary. Simple, but true.
Kiyosaki, Robert Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom
Kiyosaki, Robert Rich Kid, Smart Kid: Giving Your Child a Financial Head Start
**I recommend Kiyosaki's "RichDad.com education forums" to learn about financial education systems. http://www.RichDad.com
Mauldin, John Just One Thing: Twelve of the World's best Investors Reveal the One Strategy You Can't Overlook
I read the weekly newsletters by John Mauldin and always find a useful thought on how money and investments work. This book, although focused on paper assets, contains serious thinking about the core distinctives of smart use of money to multiply it.
Maybury, Richard The Thousand Year War in the Mideast: How It Affects You Today
Best historical perspective on the insider/outsider and local/foreign tensions in the Middle East. The approach given by Maybury will clear up issues of imperialism and political domination. Please read it!
Maybury, Richard Whatever Happened to Justice?
Maybury, Richard Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?
Practical guide to use money and debt to make the most of your income.
Edelman, Ric New Rules of Money: 88 Strategies for Financial Success Today
Edelman, Ric The Truth About Money
Heilbroner, Robert L. The Worldly Philosophers: The lives, times and ideas of the great economic thinkers.
Hill, Napoleon Think and Grow Rich
Kiyosaki, Robert Cashflow for Kids: the boardgame
I play this game a LOT with adults. Why? Because it simplifies the essential facts of work and financial management. What are those essentials? Work is to earn income. That income is used to pay for expenses and to invest. The goal is to have enough investment income (passive income) to cover expenses so that work to earn more money is not necessary. Simple, but true.
Kiyosaki, Robert Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom
Kiyosaki, Robert Rich Kid, Smart Kid: Giving Your Child a Financial Head Start
**I recommend Kiyosaki's "RichDad.com education forums" to learn about financial education systems. http://www.RichDad.com
Mauldin, John Just One Thing: Twelve of the World's best Investors Reveal the One Strategy You Can't Overlook
I read the weekly newsletters by John Mauldin and always find a useful thought on how money and investments work. This book, although focused on paper assets, contains serious thinking about the core distinctives of smart use of money to multiply it.
Maybury, Richard The Thousand Year War in the Mideast: How It Affects You Today
Best historical perspective on the insider/outsider and local/foreign tensions in the Middle East. The approach given by Maybury will clear up issues of imperialism and political domination. Please read it!
Maybury, Richard Whatever Happened to Justice?
Maybury, Richard Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?
Practical guide to use money and debt to make the most of your income.
7. Business Development
Chilton, David The Wealthy Barber: Everyone's Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent
Humourous autobiography of how one man learned to change his future
Clason, George S. Richest Man in Babylon
Great story about putting aside just a little bit each month can lead to great changes in your life
Davidow, William and Malone, Michael S. The Virtual Corporation: Structuring and Revitalizing the Corporation for the 21st Century
Real thinking about a "virtual" product that "can be made available at any time, in any place, and in any variety."
dealmac.com Where I shop for iPods and other Mac hardware
Didsbury, Howard, Editor. (World Future Society, 2004) Thinking Creatively in Turbulent Times
Major trends that affect how we work today and how we will have to work in the future.
Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: the power of thinking without thinking
An excellent study of how true experts in a field can "know" something without necessarily being able to explain how they know.
Godwin, Seth. All Marketers are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World
An example o f how to make customers want something, even if it is bad for them. I put this here to explain marketing success, not to promote at all selling without ethics. I believe that concern for a customer will sell and do good, and sustain a good reputation for longterm survival.
Kawasaki, Guy. Hindsights: The Wisdom and Breakthroughs of Remarkable People
Kawasaki, Guy. Art of the Start
How to start and lead a new business or organization
How to clarify your vision, choose your support team, nurture investment contacts, and get the results you've dreamed of.
Kuniavsky, Mike Observing the User Experience: a Practitioner's Guide to User Research
How to plan and implement a thorough test of the usability of your webpage or communications tool.
Chilton, David The Wealthy Barber: Everyone's Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent
Humourous autobiography of how one man learned to change his future
Clason, George S. Richest Man in Babylon
Great story about putting aside just a little bit each month can lead to great changes in your life
Davidow, William and Malone, Michael S. The Virtual Corporation: Structuring and Revitalizing the Corporation for the 21st Century
Real thinking about a "virtual" product that "can be made available at any time, in any place, and in any variety."
dealmac.com Where I shop for iPods and other Mac hardware
Didsbury, Howard, Editor. (World Future Society, 2004) Thinking Creatively in Turbulent Times
Major trends that affect how we work today and how we will have to work in the future.
Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: the power of thinking without thinking
An excellent study of how true experts in a field can "know" something without necessarily being able to explain how they know.
Godwin, Seth. All Marketers are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World
An example o f how to make customers want something, even if it is bad for them. I put this here to explain marketing success, not to promote at all selling without ethics. I believe that concern for a customer will sell and do good, and sustain a good reputation for longterm survival.
Kawasaki, Guy. Hindsights: The Wisdom and Breakthroughs of Remarkable People
Kawasaki, Guy. Art of the Start
How to start and lead a new business or organization
How to clarify your vision, choose your support team, nurture investment contacts, and get the results you've dreamed of.
Kuniavsky, Mike Observing the User Experience: a Practitioner's Guide to User Research
How to plan and implement a thorough test of the usability of your webpage or communications tool.