This is the second collection of the well established Antonius Lectures given at St. Antony's College, Oxford. The contributors cover different aspects of Arab studies including nationalism, literature, economics, the Gulf War and the Palestinian problem. A wide ranging and unusual collection of stimulating essays of great interest to all involved with the Arab world.

The second edition of this work rapidly established itself as a textbook for universities and colleges. This new edition brings it further up to date and places the achievements and failures of President Mubarak in context. The new material includes an examination of Egypt's role in the Gulf Crisis. The book is divided by topic and areas covered include: the political ideologies of Presidents Nasser and Sadat; the economic problems facing the nation; the role of Islam in politics and in society; Egyptian culture and literature.

President Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia was an Arab leader greatly admired in the West for his moderation and level headedness. He led his small country to independence after a prolonged struggle against the French coloniser. He suffered long periods of deprivation and imprisonment before he acceded to supreme rule. His country has much to thank him for but he ruled too long and ended his reign in the tragedy of senility and absolutism. This book is a sympathetic study of a long and fascinating life.

Syria has often lacked sympathetic observers. This book tries to interpret the country and its people in terms of how they see their own history and of what they are trying to achieve. More than a political or diplomatic history, it discusses the economy, society, education and culture to help the reader understand and explain modern Syria.

A description of the country deals with the physical and other factors which have influenced Syria's development. An historical survey concentrates mainly on the period after the Second World War and explains why a knowledge of Syrian history is...