At the outset of the 21st century and in the midst of the Arab Spring, tribe-state relations are a useful frame of reference through which to analyse the Middle East on a state-by-state basis. 'Tribes and States in a Changing Middle East' looks beyond the dichotomy between tribe and state. Its central theme is the role of tribes and tribalism in state politics, society, and identity, as demonstrated in case studies from the Arab East (mashriq).