Welcome to PS Book Recommendations, your weekly source of reading inspiration, provided by PS contributors. This week’s edition features Fawaz A. Gerges, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics, and Shlomo Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister who is now Vice President of the Toledo International Center for Peace.
Gerges says: "The Cold War, Mitchell writes, provided the US with a 'framework for the policing of the post-war Middle East that replaced the need for mandates, trusteeships, development programs and other scaffoldings for imperial power.' It is an apt description of the transition from the colonial to the post-colonial paradigm. Mitchell, a sociologist, argues that America’s increased interest in post-independence Middle Eastern states during the Cold War ultimately played a key role in their slow, unstable, and lopsided development."
Don’t miss our PS Say More interview with Gerges on Iran, Gaza, US foreign policy, and more. Read now.
"If Donald Trump wins the US presidential election this November, there is a real danger of a military confrontation between the US and Iran." – Gerges
In studying inter-communal violence, there is a tendency to over-emphasize the ethnic and religious causes of conflict, while ignoring underlying social and economic factors. A nuanced approach that recognizes historical lessons – and their limits – is essential to guide reconciliation and long-term stability. Read the Longer Read.
Ben-Ami says: In his "magnificent new book," Rogan "highlights just how deadly the combination of inter-communal tensions and incompetent leadership can be," but also "offers a message of hope and humanity, and a lesson about the capacity of fractured societies to reconcile and rebuild."
Project Syndicate publishes and provides, on a not-for-profit basis, original commentary by the world's leading thinkers to more than 500 media outlets in over 150 countries. This newsletter does not entitle the recipient to re-publish any of the content it contains.
Secure your copy of PS Quarterly: The Climate Crucible
The newest issue of our magazine, PS Quarterly: The Climate Crucible, is here. To gain digital access to all of the magazine’s content, and receive your print copy, subscribe to PS Premium now.
Subscribe Now
Log in/Register
Please log in or register to continue. Registration is free and requires only your email address.
The Damascus Events:
