For the last few weeks, billions of locusts have been swarming in east Africa, putting crops and pastureland at risk in a region that has already been tackling droughts and floods. According to the FAO, Kenya is facing its biggest infestation in 70 years, while Ethiopia and Somalia face its largest for 25. How can … Continue reading
“Papers are accused of saying things they didn’t. Their articles are misrepresented, distorted and denounced… These are the tactics of the status quo today, designed to confuse the common people…” – Sabiha Sertel December, 2019? No. December, 1945. “Fake news” smear attacks are nothing new. It’s an old game aimed at bullying journalists into submission. … Continue reading
Ezgi Başaran, coordinator of the Programme on Contemporary Turkey at Oxford University’s St Anthony’s College, on “Frontline Turkey: The Conflict at the Heart of the Middle East.” The book is a breezy 200-page summary of the country’s current impasse, addressing how the long-running conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the rise and fall … Continue reading
Set in Alexandria, Out of Egypt chronicles the exploits of André Aciman (author of Call Me By Your Name, now an Oscar-nominated film adaptation) and his colourful Sephardic Jewish family from its arrival in Egypt at the turn of the century to its forced departure three generations later. Aciman tells a story of childhood innocence, of intricate … Continue reading
In warzones, ordinary commercially-available drones are used for extraordinary reconnaissance and information gathering. They can also be used for bombings a drone carrying an explosive charge is potentially a powerful weapon. At the same time asymmetric warfare has become the norm with large states increasingly fighting marginal terrorist groups in the Middle East and elsewhere. … Continue reading
As 2017 draws to a close, the I.B.Tauris staff have again taken the chance to reflect on their favourite books, from our own (strong) stable – and from further afield. As usual, there’s a wonderfully eclectic range, so dive in! Madeleine Hamey-Thomas; Visual Culture Editor I.B.Tauris Book of the Year: China’s Forgotten People: Xinjiang, … Continue reading
From the introduction by Toby Wilkinson This book tells the story of an Edwardian journey on the Nile in the winter of 1907–1908. At its core is a remarkable series of letters which provide a first-hand account of the three-month trip—the sites visited, the passengers aboard and the people encountered ashore, the clashes of culture … Continue reading
With summer reaching its traditional drizzly climax, I’m sure your thoughts are turning to the most important issue of the season: which books to take on holiday? Here at IBT we’ve come up with a few suggestions, both from our own stables and from further afield. We hope you enjoy our picks! ~ Tom Stottor … Continue reading
This week, we were delighted to welcome Soner Cagaptay, author of The New Sultan for a live Q&A session on Twitter. Read the full transcript below; thanks to everyone who took part! //storify.com/ibtauris/soner-cagaptay-live-twitter-q-a/embed?border=false The New Sultan: Erdogan and the Crisis of Modern Turkey is available now and can be ordered here. …and see more of our books on Turkey, … Continue reading
We’re delighted to announce that Leon McCarron has received the 2017 Neville Shulman award, which aims to further the understanding and exploration of the planet: its cultures, peoples and environments, while promoting personal development through the intellectual or physical challenges involved in undertaking the research and/or expedition. To celebrate, we’re running an exclusive extract from McCarron’s … Continue reading
by Neil Partrick The Saudis have sent mixed messages in response to nascent Trumpian Middle Eastern policy. Domestic Saudi media likes the tough words toward Iran, whereas externally-based Saudi media has been more sceptical, in effect asking ‘where’s the beef?’ Saudi doublethink has long been a characteristic of the Kingdom’s foreign policy. Vague US talk … Continue reading
Bamya | Okra, Lamb and Tomato Stew Okra, which is also known as ‘ladies’ fingers’ is a small member of the mallow family, which also includes hollyhocks and hibiscus. The edible part is a thin, green vegetable pod containing small white seeds arranged in vertical rows. It is rich in nutrients, high in antioxidants, very … Continue reading
Turkey stands at the crossroads of world politics: caught between the West and the Middle East; bordering Syria and the frontiers of ISIS; excluded from the EU and governed by an increasingly hard-line leader. Recent events – both the failed military coup and Erdoğan’s subsequent nationwide crackdown – have propelled this young democracy into a new chapter of turbulence. Continue reading
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