Is There a Middle East?: The Evolution of a Geopolitical Concept

Is the idea of the "Middle East" simply a geopolitical construct
conceived by the West to serve particular strategic and economic
interests―or can we identify geographical, historical, cultural, and
political patterns to indicate some sort of internal coherence to this
label? While the term has achieved common usage, no one studying the
region has yet addressed whether this conceptualization has real
meaning―and then articulated what and where the Middle East is, or is
not.
This volume fills the void, offering a diverse set of
voices―from political and cultural historians, to social scientists,
geographers, and political economists―to debate the possible
manifestations and meanings of the Middle East. At a time when
geopolitical forces, social currents, and environmental concerns have
brought attention to the region, this volume examines the very
definition and geographic and cultural boundaries of the Middle East in
an unprecedented way.