International Dimensions of Decolonization in the Middle East and North Africa
The twentieth-century Middle East and North Africa (MENA) was a central arena of decolonization, and decolonization was, and remains, a key dimension of MENA history. This collection provides scholars, teachers, and students a primary-source-driven glimpse of this fascinating story. It covers the entire twentieth century, for different parts of MENA were involved in different waves of decolonization. It focuses on international dimensions, roughly balancing Africa-, Asia-, Europe-, and America-related stories to highlight MENA’s linkage with the world. And using a mix of textual genres such as books, speeches, private notes, radio program transcripts, and government memoranda, it addresses not only politics but also socio-economics and culture. Although the collection includes a few English language and some already translated texts, the collection editor, Cyrus Schayegh, has translated most of documents. The editor gratefully acknowledge Professors Lara Harb and Nader Uthman’s help with a handful of Arabic words.
The introduction to this collection offers a few preliminary thoughts about MENA decolonization through the lens of this collection, and includes a more extensive note on the nature and limitations of this collection.
Cyrus Schayegh writes about how the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) may inform how we think about decolonization, here.