Researching the Middle East : : Cultural, Conceptual, Theoretical and Practical Issues / / Monica Ronchi, Lorraine Charles, Ilan Pappé.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter EBOOK PACKAGE COMPLETE 2021 English
• VerfasserIn: Charles, Lorraine,; Pappé, Ilan,; Ronchi, Monica,
• MitwirkendeR: Akıncı, İdil,; Almuedo-Castillo, Ana,; Buffon, Veronica,; Charles, Lorraine,; Costantini, Irene,; Deuchar, Hannah Scott,; Ferrari, Giorgia,; Hecker, Pierre,; Mahoudeau, Alex,; McNeil-Willson, Richard,; Milton, Sansom,; Mirman, Yves,; Pappé, Ilan,; Richter-Devroe, Sophie,; Ronchi, Monica,; Schmitt, Kenny,; Shockley, Bethany,
• Place / Publishing House: Edinburgh : : Edinburgh University Press, , [2022]; ©2021
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Language: English
• Series: Research Methods for the Arts and Humanities : RMAH
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (248 p.) :; 4 B/W illustrations

Addresses the practical and theoretical issues faced by researchers working in and on the Middle East and North AfricaDivided into 4 sections covering core themes: researching political dynamics; identity and positionality in research; conducting ethnographic research; and research through text, symbols and technologyFocuses on methodology, combining researchers' experiences with theoretical and conceptual analysis 14 case studies explore specific, frequently encountered issues: from the challenges of doing research in conflict zones to working with interpreters and navigating the problems of researching ‘terrorism’ Includes a variety of perspectives to allow a critical understanding of the methodological challenges in Middle East studiesThe core mission of this textbook is to help and support both new and established scholars looking to expand their research down different and possibly challenging avenues, navigating issues that relate to positionality, ethics and ethnocentric biases. 16 researchers share their invaluable first-hand experiences and examine the cultural, conceptual, methodological and practical challenges of working on and in MENA region. Researching the Middle East is a challenge for both new and seasoned researchers. Ensuring rigour, providing a theoretical grounding and accommodating the Middle Eastern perspective are all essential when it comes to avoiding orientalist perspectives and maintaining an inclusive attitude towards all experiences of research in the area.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Figures -- Introduction -- SECTION 1: RESEARCHING POLITICAL DYNAMICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST -- 1. The Past is Here: Reflections on modern Middle Eastern Historiography -- 2. Doing Research in Conflict and Post-conflict Contexts -- 3. Researching (and Deconstructing) Sectarianism in Lebanon and Beyond -- 4. Researching Livelihoods for Syrian Refugees in Protectionist Labour Markets: The Cases of Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey -- SECTION 2:IDENTITY AND POSITIONALITY IN RESEARCH -- 5. Talking to Young People about Being a National: Fieldwork Reflections from Dubai -- 6. ‘Here be Dragons’: Navigating the Problems of Researching ‘Terrorism’ and Critical Terrorism Studies -- 7. Positionality and Access: Doing Surveys and Empirical Research in the Middle East -- SECTION 3: CONDUCTING ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH -- 8. Women, Conflict and the Everyday: Feminist Ethnographies in Palestine and Kurdistan -- 9. From the Ethical to the Practical: Cases of Working with Interpreters in Middle East Studies -- 10. Conducting Research in Arabic: Challenges and New Perspectives -- SECTION 4: RESEARCH THROUGH TEXT, SYMBOLS AND TECHNOLOGY -- 11. Problems of Method: Applying ‘Western Literary Theory’ to Arabic Texts -- 12. YouTube and Ethnography in the Middle East: Creative Access in Difficult Places -- 13. Reading the Signs: Towards a Semiotic Approach in Islamic Studies -- Notes on Contributors -- Index