Table of Contents

• Prologue. The Bedouin, the Camel, the Sand, and the Palm Tree
• One. Identity and Self-Definition
• Two. Ibn Khaldun's Appraisal Appraised
• Three. "Arabizing the Arabs"
• Four. Self-Images Old and New
• Five. Calls for "Critical Self-Analysis"
• Six. Unity in Diversity
• Seven. The Quest for Democracy
• Eight. Resources and Development
• Nine. The Social Scene
• Ten. The Case of Egypt
• Eleven. The West's Inroads
• Twelve. The Difference Israel Has Made
• Thirteen. New Lessons for Old
• Fourteen. The Intellectuals
• Appendix. Portraits in a Mirror: Three Fictional Versions
• Index

Promotional Information

A fascinating look at how Arabs have sought to define their own identity and how they have been viewed by others from pre-Islamic times to the last decades of the twentieth century

About the Author

Nissim Rejwan is Research Fellow at the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Reviews

"This book is unique in that it lets its subjects speak for themselves, allowing readers to share some of the most intimate thoughts of the Arabs... The work humanizes a people who have frequently been dismissed by many in the West as without culture and the capacity for reflection. This, in my view, is what makes the book a very significant contribution to the field." Joseph V. Montville, Senior Fellow and Chair, Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University