The Middle East and Problems of Democracy challenges the view that political reform can not be sustained in the Middle East and examines the moves toward democratization in the region that have recently taken place.

Deegan considers such factors in the democratization process as the institution of political parties, the reintroduction of elections, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and the role of Islam. Placing political change in the Middle East in the wider context of the Third World, she addresses a number of key questions: What does political reform in the Middle East mean to the Third World? Do commonalities exist among the regions in terms of socioeconomic variables?

To what degree do prospects for democracy in the Middle East correspond with general conclusions about democratization in the Third World? And finally, what are the prospects for democratization in the Middle East?