Mið-Austurlönd – fortíð, nútíð og framtíð

The Middle East—stretching from Egypt in the west to Iran in the east, from Turkey in the north to Yemen in the south—has long been one of the great flashpoints of our time. For decades, it has remained a region in constant turmoil. Nearly every day, the media report from the area on the devastation of war, the oppression of women, inequality, and humanitarian crises. At the same time, the fault lines have moved uncomfortably close to the West—terrorist attacks in our neighboring countries and the steady flow of refugees make it impossible to turn a blind eye to the situation.

Many of the Middle East’s challenges are rooted in the frequent and far-reaching involvement of Western powers in the region, both past and present. Yet the story is more complex than that. Over the past century, the peoples of the region have grappled with difficult questions, searching for a balance between tradition and modernity, independence and equality, violence and progress, religious freedom and individual liberty.

This important book was first published in 2018 to exceptional reception and has since been reprinted several times. This new edition brings the story up to date, addressing the latest developments, including events in Gaza, the evolving situation in Syria, and the civil war in Yemen.

Magnús Þorkell Bernharðsson, Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at Williams College in Massachusetts and visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Iceland, is Iceland’s foremost expert on the history of the region. In this book, he presents the major themes of Middle Eastern history with clarity, balance, and accessibility.

ISBN 9789979354529

Author Magnús Þorkell Bernharðsson

Publisher Mál og menning, 2026

Format Softcover

Pages 368