In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, relations between the Middle East and the United States were generally quite positive. This work analyzes early American missionary efforts in the Middle East, views of New York City in Arabic literature, and the development of Middle East studies as an academic field in the United States.

At a time when relations between the United States and the Middle East seem to be based on mutual misunderstandings, intolerance, violence, and distrust, this cutting-edge collection of essays reveals that the history of this relationship is richer and more complex than recent events suggest. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, relations between the Middle East and the United States were generally quite positive. After World War I, as U.S. policy toward the region took on aspects of European-style imperialism, the relationship began to sour. Written by leading scholars from literary, historical, and political science backgrounds, these essays examine a range of encounters. They analyze early American missionary efforts in the Middle East, views of New York City in Arabic literature, and the development of Middle East studies as an academic field in the United States. Archaeological expeditions, twentieth-century diplomatic relations, and the current war on terror are also discussed.