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This book is an analysis of how oil has affected governance and human, political, and economic development in the countries of the Persian Gulf and shaped these countries´ relations with the rest of the world.

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THE EVOLVING ROLE OF OIL IN THE PERSIAN GULF 1. Before Oil-Political and Economic Conditions in the Persian Gulf 2. Oil-Discovery and Production in the Persian Gulf (1900-1945) 3. Oil-The Early Years, OPEC, and Its Empowerment (1945-1979) 4. Oil-The Turbulent Years (1979-2001) 5. Oil-The Most Recent Years (2001-2013) THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF OIL AND TRANSITION TO OIL-LESS ECONOMIES 6. Oil-Islam, Ownership, and Institutions 7. Oil-Foreign Interference 8. Oil-The Fallout in the Persian Gulf 9. After Oil-Transition to Oil-Less Economies 10. Conclusion

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Hossein Askari is Iran Professor of International Business and International Affairs, George Washington University, USA.

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