The book by a team of Middle East scholars representing the Russian expert community is the second edition (revised and expanded) of the collective monograph first published in 2020. It is a wide-ranging study exploring the identity factor in the domestic and foreign policy of the Middle East countries. With a focus on such countries as Turkey, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and Afghanistan the authors contemplate the activities pursued by non-state actors. The impact of external forces on the political identities across the regional landscape is analyzed through the example of the United States policy of democracy promotion and the EU political approaches. The book may draw the attention of not only dedicated professionals, but also a much broader audience, who are interested in the major trends of political development and international affairs in the Middle East. It can serve as an indispensable tool for the educational purposes, considering a theoretical and practical value of the research efforts.

The Russian version of the book was awarded the Yevgeny V. Tarle Prize by the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Acknowledgements. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), their home institution that made the publication of this book possible, to the official reviewers, Professor Vyacheslav Belokrenitsky and Professor Elena Melkumyan, who took the labor of critically reading the book, and also to Dr. Alexander Filonik for great assistance and valuable comments.