Middle East and Islamic Studies
New at Brill in Open Access: Encyclopædia Iranica Online
Encyclopaedia Iranica is the most renowned reference work in the field of Iran studies. Founded by the late Professor Ehsan Yarshater and edited at the Ehsan Yarshater Center for Iranian Studies at Columbia University, this monumental international project brings together the scholarship about Iran of thousands of authors around the world.
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Sign upEncyclopædia Iranica Online Now Freely Accessible at Brill
The Ehsan Yarshater Center for Iranian Studies at Columbia University, New York, and Brill are delighted to announce that the Encyclopædia Iranica Online is now freely accessible at Brill’s Reference Works Platform. Encyclopædia Iranica is the comprehensive academic reference work dedicated to the study of Iranian civilization in the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.
Ancient Iran Series Added to Brill’s Publishing Portfolio
As part of their growing portfolio in Middle East and Islamic Studies, Brill has signed an agreement for the take-over of the book series Ancient Iran Series. With its coverage of ancient, pre-, and early-Islamic Iran, this book series complements other book series with a more modern focus on this geographical area, as well as the various other journals and encyclopaedias Brill publishes in this field.
Read an interview with Geert Jan van Gelder
The longstanding series Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 1: The Near and Middle East recently reached its 150th volume by publishing the special Prominent Murder Victims of the Pre- and Early Islamic Periods Including the Names of Murdered Poets. We caught up with Geert Jan van Gelder, editor and translator of the volume.
Acquisitions Editors
Brill
Maurits van den Boogert
Nicolette van der Hoek
Abdurraouf Oueslati
Teddi Dols
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
Jehona Kicaj
After many public discussions about European policy towards Africa in 2005, on the agenda in 2006 was the defining of activities and implementing promises, for instance at the meeting of European NGOs towards the end of the Austrian presidency of the EU in the first half of the year (22–23 June). It remained unclear, however, what impact the EU strategy – intended alike for the common programmes of the Commission towards Africa and for bilateral relations between EU member states and that continent – will have at the national level within Europe.
There was little change in the year as the government consolidated its framework for the future, particularly its own continuation in power, and there was little sign of the promised decentralisation. Increasing elite confidence was shown in the cavalier stance on elections, now postponed until 2008 and 2009, six years after the end of the civil war.
The political year was dominated by the presidential election, the fourth since the beginning of the new democratic regime in 1990. The peaceful and free electoral process reinforced the pluralism of political life and the stability of the regime. The success of Yayi Boni, a newcomer who had never been involved in politics, symptomised a widespread desire for change. It also saw the renewal of political actors, a new will to fight against impunity for people suspected of embezzlement and a diplomatic activism involving presidential visits to several countries. Benin continued to face economic difficulties as well as increasingly pronounced social inequalities.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary of independence, Botswana continued to enjoy political stability. While the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) – in power for all the 40 years – seemed to come to grips with factional strife, efforts to establish a formal agreement for opposition unity collapsed. The high court ruled the controversial relocation of the San from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) unconstitutional. Diamond production remained the engine of economic growth and the government signed a historic deal with the multinational De Beers allowing Botswana a greater share in the conglomerate. Notwithstanding numerous initiatives, HIV/AIDS continued to threaten socioeconomic development.
Well-organised local elections and an impressive diplomatic profile in the sub-region combined with periods of strong civilian discontent and violent incidents involving sections of the military and the police. This situation pointed to social undercurrents in what, on the surface, appeared to be a neatly organised society. At the economic level, positive assessments of the country's economic performance both by the regime and multilateral organisations contrasted with social protests and the negative perceptions of ordinary people. President Compaoré's position could thus be weaker than the results of this year's municipal elections suggested.
Burundi's new government led by the ‘Conseil National pour la Défense de la Démocratie-Forces pour la Défense de la Démocratie’ (CNDD-FDD) was faced with a Sisyphean task in 2006, namely reconstructing a country whose physical, economic and social infrastructure had been destroyed by 12 years of civil war, with limited resources and against a backdrop of ongoing conflict with the last remaining rebel movement, the ‘Parti pour la libération de Hutu-Forces Nationales de Libération’ (Palipehutu-FNL). In the post-transition period, however, the country's democratisation process was marred by political gaffes and abuses by the new government and the ruling party, raising fears of a reversal towards authoritarianism. The erstwhile rebel movement often governed in a high-handed and populist manner, coming under fire from the media, civil society and the opposition. The regime's authoritarian drift and high levels of corruption were also a source of friction with the international community.
The year 2006 was marked by two landmark events. First, there was the country's attainment of the completion point under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt-relief initiative. One of its immediate consequences was the heightening of expectations among ordinary Cameroonians of a rapid end to their precarious living conditions, which the government felt obliged to dampen. Second, there was the achievement of an equitable agreement with Nigeria on the modalities of Nigerian withdrawal from the Bakassi peninsula, in accordance with the October 2002 International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict.
Prime Minister José Maria Neves was confirmed in office when the ruling ‘Partido Africano de Independência de Cabo Verde’ (PAICV) won an absolute majority in the legislative elections in January. In March, President Pedro Pires (PAICV) was re-elected for a second term. Economic growth, driven by private and public investments, continued and the country succeeded in attracting further inflows of both development aid and private foreign investment.
The sub-region was arguably still the most unstable part of the continent, particularly when taking into account the spill-over effects of the Darfur crisis on Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR). Major new outbreaks of older armed conflicts in both Chad and CAR counterbalanced the positive developments in DR Congo, while widespread violence continued throughout different zones of the biggest country of the sub-region. The growing interest in Africa's mineral resources also had an impact in Central Africa, where major oil and gas deposits are located. Visits by Chinese officials confirmed this growing interest and were welcomed by national governments. However, only a few countries could yet claim steady economic growth.
Some major reform steps by Prime Minister Elie Doté's government secured the award of a much-needed PRGF with the IMF in December. This could not immediately benefit the population, which has suffered through ten years of instability and insecurity. The entire northern part of the country was not safe from incursions by rebel groups and indiscriminate counter-attacks by government forces. In October, the outright capture by rebel groups of the provincial capital of Birao in the northeast sent a strong signal to Bangui. Security concerns dominated public debate during the year.