British imperialism and 'the Tribal Question' : desert administration and nomadic societies in the Middle East, 1919 - 1936

__British Imperialism and 'The Tribal Question'__ reconstructs the history of Britain's presence in the deserts of the interwar Middle East, making the case for its significance to scholars of imperialism and of the region's past. It tells the story of what happened when the British Empire and Bedouin communities met on the desert frontiers between the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. It traces the workings of the resulting practices of 'desert administration' from their origins in the wake of one World War to their eclipse after the next, as British officials, Bedouin shaykhs, and nationalist politicians jostled to influence desert affairs.Drawn to the commanding heights of political society in the region's towns and cities, historians have tended to afford frontier 'margins' merely marginal treatment. Instead, this volume combines the study of imperialism, nomads, and the desert itself to reveal the centrality of 'desert administration' to the working of Britain's empire, repositioning neglected frontier areas as nerve centres of imperial activity. __British Imperialism and 'The Tribal Question'__ leads the shift in historians' attentions from the familiar, urban seats of power to the desert 'hinterlands' that have long been obscured. British Imperialism and 'The Tribal Question' reconstructs the history of Britain's presence in the deserts of the interwar Middle East, making the case for its significance to scholars of imperialism and of the region's past. It tells the story of what happened when the British Empire and Bedouin communities met on the desert frontiers between the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. It traces the workings of the resulting practices of 'desert administration' from their origins in the wake of one World War to their eclipse after the next, as British officials, Bedouin shaykhs, and nationalist politicians jostled to influence desert affairs. Drawn to the commanding heights of political society in the region's towns and cities, historians have tended to afford frontier 'margins' merely marginal treatment. Instead, this volume combines the study of imperialism, nomads, and the desert itself to reveal the centrality of 'desert administration' to the working of Britain's empire, repositioning neglected frontier areas as nerve centres of imperial activity. British Imperialism and 'The Tribal Question' leads the shift in historians' attentions from the familiar, urban seats of power to the desert 'hinterlands' that have long been obscured. Robert S.g. Fletcher Reconstructs The History Of Britain's Presence In The Deserts Of The Interwar Middle East, Making The Case For Its Significance To Scholars Of Imperialism And Of The Region's Past. He Tells The Story Of What Happened When The British Empire And Bedouin Communities Met On The Desert Frontiers Between The Mediterranean Sea And The Persian Gulf, And Traces The Workings Of The Resulting Practices Of 'desert Administration', From Their Origins In The Wake Of One World War To Their Eclipse After The Next. Asking 'the Tribal Question' : The Royal Central Asian Society In The World -- Beating The Bounds : The Growth Of British Desert Administration -- Running The Corridor -- Making The Desert Bloom? Development, Ideology, And The Future Of The Steppe -- 'somewhat Light Soil' : The Eclipse Of British Desert Administration -- Conclusion : Deserts, Nomads, And Empire In The Interwar World. Robert S. G. Fletcher. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [289]-315) And Index. Cover 1 Series 3 British Imperialism and ‘The Tribal Question’ 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Acknowledgements 8 Contents 10 List of Maps, Figures, and Tables 12 List of Abbreviations 13 Introduction: The View from the Frontier 14 Part I 30 1 Asking ‘the Tribal Question’: The Royal Central Asian Society in the World 32 2 Beating the Bounds: The Growth of British Desert Administration 80 Part II 144 3 Running the Corridor 146 4 Making the Desert Bloom? Development, Ideology, and the Future of the Steppe 196 Part III 252 5 ‘Somewhat Light Soil’: The Eclipse of British Desert Administration 254 Conclusion: Deserts, Nomads, and Empire in the Interwar World 286 Appendix: Dramatis Personae 298 Bibliography 302 Index 330 Reconstructs the history of Britain's presence in the deserts of the interwar Middle East, using a wealth of original archival research to lead the shift in historians' attentions from the familiar, urban seats of power to the desert 'hinterlands' that state-centric approaches have long obscured. [ British Imperialism and 'The Tribal Question': Desert Administration and Nomadic Societies in the Middle East, 1919-1936 By ( Author ) Apr-2015 Hardcover