This text uses an interdisciplinary approach to chart a new course for national security research and policy making in the turbulent region of the Middle East. Combining the rigour of international relations theory with the depth of area studies scholarship, the book aims to create a comprehensive understanding of the status of national security in the Middle East. The essays integrate five variables into a new national security paradigm: political legitimacy, ethnic and religious tolerance, economic capabilities, availability of essential natural resources, and military capabilities. The group of contributors provides data and analysis on both a country and a regional level to underscore the interrelationships among the variables in the paradigm. Overall, the book illustrates the value of an interdisciplinary approach to analyzing and proposing policies for national security, and offers informative insights through the use of this method.