Summer reading

I have posted links in postings but will try to phase over to a blog-roll - haven't solved the layout just the way I want it yet though - work still ongoing...

Anyway, here comes several weeks worth of reading (apart from those more thematic postings I have published in the meantime).

Middle East
Catrin Ormestad writes of the war in Gaza and the Israeli army. An interview with an Israeli-Arab media personality.

Identity and social strata are a reality of challenges in the UAE. Life behind the glitzy facades of Dubai is explored. Future challenges for the Emirati leadership.

Female muftis explored as an option at Islamic conference.
Amnesty reports on abuses in the fight against terrorism in Saudi-arabia. Comment on the situation of Saudi women.

A site on Iraqi oil may be of interest, as well as Middle East Progress.

The Gulf allegedly has ties with Israel already.

Jordan's treatment of Palestinian citizens. Palestinian economy in an unexpected high.

Kurdish politics in connection with recent elections in northern Iraq.

Joschka Fischer on the Middle East after Obama's Cairo-speech. The US also has interests in investments from the Arab Gulf countries. Increased US pressure on Israel may play a role. The Gulf countries have worries on the development of US-Iran relations.

Gay rights is a difficult and controversial issue in the Middle East. Not marrying in a socially conservative context is in itself challenged. Education and marriage are challenges to Arab women, but can be met with different strategies. Islamic streetfashion for women. Marriages are also going down as women's identity and priority change.

Ottoman legacies were both diverse in origin and in implementation, forming the region.

Tying in with his recent book, Justin Marozzi tours Iraq with Herodotus.

Doha debates continues, what are the possibilities and the limits? The importance of the internet for developing modern muslim identity.

Reporting on modern slavery and human trafficking, including in the Middle East.

Tulin Daloglu on the US in Iraq and Turkey.

Turkey and Caucasus
On power and law in Chechenya.

Lack of strategy to handle development in the Caucasus.

Israeli leaders visit Baku, exposing also domestic differences on both sides.

Turkey and it's EU-focus. Turkey's foreign policy role in it's neighbourhood discussed.

Misc
"A reasoning and charming politician needs a torpedo to execute power" - Obama has Emanuel.

The importance of open-source coding for internet and software development.

Periodic blogging from the Swedish presence in the Gulf of Aden here.

Samantha Power's book on Sergio Viera de Mello reviewed.

Jihadists presence in European jails is given attention.

Albania's EU-candidacy questioned.

With time, we lose memories of history.

Interviewing publisher Dorotea Bromberg.