Polity And Society In Contemporary North Africa (State, Culture, and Society in Arab North Africa)

In the twenty-five years since the last comprehensive book on state and society in North Africa was published, the nations of the Maghrib have undergone profound social, political, and economic changes. The region has, for example, experienced one of the highest population growth rates in the world, accompanied by a dramatic increase in migration to urban areas, resulting in high unemployment and disaffection among youth. Economic challenges - how to compete in a rapidly changing international trade market and how to cope with the demands of the populace for educational opportunities and a higher standard of living - have put a noticeable strain on development efforts.Political turmoil has also come to the region. The long reign of Habib Bourguiba in Tunisia ended suddenly with a "constitutional coup" in 1987, and Tunisia has wrestled since then with the challenges of creating a true multiparty democracy. Algeria's one-party socialist regime was forced to reassess its economic policies and address demands for greater political participation. The resulting rise in power of the Islamic fundamentalist movement has left Algeria in a state of profound political distress. Even Libya's mercurial Muammar Qadhafi has confronted muted political opposition as a result of failed foreign policy and the impact of depressed oil prices. In this book, the foremost U.S. specialists on the region and some prominent Maghribi scholars analyze the transformations in North Africa since independence and examine current trends that will shape the region in the future.