'At a time when there is vigorous debate about the potential for reform in the politics of the Middle East, sometimes slipping into alarm and disillusion, this book provides a much-needed grounding for thinking seriously through these issues. Its focus on the forces and limitations of change is a refreshing corrective to those volumes that lead readers to think that the Middle East is inhabited solely by fighters, victims and ideologues. Perhaps most impressively it draws heavily upon the politics of the smaller and often misunderstood states to illustrate how their politics exemplify many of the key issues that affect today's - and tomorrow's - Middle East.' - Glen Rangwala, Lecturer and Fellow of Trinity College, University of Cambridge