This text focuses on the history of and prospects for Arab unity-an issue of critical importance to students and scholars of Middle East politics and culture. Dr. Farah combines analysis of valuable survey research with historical and theoretical works by leading Arab and Western scholars that interpret the current debate on the status of Pan-Arabi

Now that the oil era has come to a very unceremonious end in the Arab Mashreq, it is time for a sober and somber assessment-a selfcriticism- of the Arab body politic. Indeed, this effort at self-criticism is already underway, led by the many symposiums sponsored by the Center for Arab Unity Studies and the Arab Intellectual Forum.

This vivid portrayal of political and social behavior in the Arab states offers new perspectives to the student and scholar of the Middle East. It also illustrates the effectiveness of survey research as an analytical tool for investigating political, social, and economic problems in Arab societies. The only book of its kind-dealing in a comprehensive and interdisciplinary fashion with the political and social behavior of individuals in the Arab world-it fills a gap in the materials available for courses on the Middle East.

At a time when survey research is increasingly being conducted in the Arab world, there is also growing concern about the degree to which research assumptions and methods developed in the West are appropriate for use in the study of Arab society. This book assesses the application and limits of survey research performed in the Arab world, reviews the surveys currently being used to study public attitudes and behavior patterns, and discusses epistemological, methodological, and ethical issues associated with these studies. Readers are alerted to normative and empirical considerations bearing on the quality of survey research and given practical suggestions for innovation in the design and execution of survey research and in the analysis of survey data. The book raises intellectual issues of concern to all who seek to better understand Arab society and provides extensive information about attitudes and behavior in the Arab world.