The Arab Middle East and Central Asia

The Arab Middle East and Central Asia examines the historical development, political structure, economy and armed forces of most Middle East and Central Asian countries - regions with an extraordinary role in the global political system and international security. The encyclopedic details of the complex nation-building process in these two extremely dynamic parts of the world are backed by an in-depth analysis of the genesis of contemporary Arab and Central Asian statehood, combining regional and specific national characteristics. The main focus is on the role of Islamic religion as a common denominator of zigzagging postcolonial and post-communist processes. The comparative analysis between countries and between the two branches of Islam is an instrument by which the essence of the modern state and civil society is revealed most accurately and their future evolution is predicted.