Water Sheikhs and Dam Builders

Book excerpt: Francesca de Châtel explores the problems and paradoxes of water resources in the Middle East and North Africa. She takes an entirely new angle on the much-discussed question of water scarcity by examining the history and culture of water from a human perspective. Unlike other books on the subject that provide specialized geopolitical, economic, and hydrological analyses, this book presents the reality of water scarcity through the eyes of those confronting the problem on a daily basis. The author provides a colorful and diverse portrait of a resource that is inextricably entwined with the history and future of the region and its peoples. Using research obtained in her travels, she combines lively character sketches, interviews, travel descriptions, historical anecdotes, and hard facts to reveal the complexity of this invaluable resource. Besides identifying the causes of the current water crisis, the book also discusses the reason for a lack of awareness among the general public, and deals with a variety of themes: the role of water in religions and ideologies, the impact of large-scale water projects on people’s perception of the resource, and the politics of water pricing. In exploring the past, present, and future of water in the region, de Châtel exposes the roots of the current water crisis.