scholarly journals ACTIVISM AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST

2002 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asef Bayat
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Social Development ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Social Activism ◽  
Economic Restructuring ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Rentier States ◽  
Middle Strata

This article is about social activism and its relationship to social development in the Middle East. It examines the myriad strategies that the region's urban grass-roots pursue to defend their rights and improve their lives in this neo-liberal age. Prior to the advent of the political–economic restructuring of the 1980s, most Middle Eastern countries were largely dominated by either nationalist-populist regimes (such as Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Turkey) or pro-Western rentier states (Iran, Arab Gulf states). Financed by oil or remittances, these largely authoritarian states pursued state-led development strategies, attaining remarkable (21% average annual) growth rates.1 Income from oil offered the rentier states the possibility of providing social services to many of their citizens, and the ideologically driven populist states dispensed significant benefits in education, health, employment, housing, and the like.2 For these post-colonial regimes, such provision of social welfare was necessary to build popularity among the peasants, workers, and middle strata at a time that these states were struggling against both the colonial powers and old internal ruling classes. The state acted as the moving force of economic and social development on behalf of the populace.

scholarly journals Conflicts in the Middle East: prospects for escalation in the context of general regional instability in the 2020s

2021 ◽  
pp. 120-132
Author(s):  
A. Malashenko
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
The United States ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Significant Extent ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
The Persian Gulf ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
Made In

The article analyses Middle Eastern conflicts in the early 2020s. The main focus is on the situation in Syria, Libya, and Yemen, three Middle Eastern conflicts that are progressing, with no solution in sight. These conflicts motivated by social, economic and political reasons became a progression of those protests that have started in 2011 and have been called “The Arab Spring”. These “revolutions” have been promoted by Islamist movements and groups whose activity became one of key factors of perpetual tensions in the region. So far, attempts by conflict parties to find consensual solutions have remained rather unsuccessful. Positive resolution of actual and potential conflicts in the Greater Middle East to a significant extent still depends on external regional and non-regional actors, such as Russia, Turkey, Iran, and the United States. However, each actor involved in these conflicts and in conflict management pursues its own goals. These actors try to retain their positions and influence in these Middle Eastern countries and in the region as a whole. According to the forecast made in the article, more conflicts in the region may be foreseen (in Iraq, the Persian Gulf states etc.) that could form the next wave of the “Arab Spring”.

scholarly journals Impact of Wars and Conflicts on Women and Children in Middle East: Health, Psychological, Educational and Social Crisis

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaser Snoubar ◽  
Nurdan Duman
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
Armed Conflicts ◽  
Conflict Zones ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Family ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
The Individual

The wars and armed conflicts in many regions of the world and especially in the Middle East have an eloquent impact on all life's happenings most especially in areas affected. Wars destroys community infrastructure such as health, education and other social services sectors. As of present, the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East had left a significant impact on the family and the individual in the areas affected. In the family, it has lead to disintegration and roles change. It is also lead to forced migration and asylum. At the individual level, it have impacted negatively in terms of psychology, social and physical wellbeing. Women and children are the most affected by traumatic events of war and they are the most vulnerable to all types of exploitation and abuse. The devastating effects of war on this vulnerable group can hardly be overemphasized. This paper discusses the problems faced by children and women in war and conflict zones. It also explores physical, mental health, social and educational crisis experienced by women and children in the Middle Eastern society. A society that is known to have witnessed many civil wars and armed conflicts. In addition, the study also discusses social and health services which must be provided to women and children in conflict affected area from the social work perspective.

Aid to the Middle East will fall far short of needs

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Migration Patterns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
North African Countries ◽  
In Transit

Significance The UN is seeking an additional USD10.3bn in donations to combat the pandemic worldwide, with around one-fifth earmarked for the Middle East. Impacts An upsurge in migration to Europe would put new pressure on resources in transit as well as destination countries. Internal rural-urban migration patterns may be disrupted as poverty rises. Low oil prices will reduce aid and worker remittances from Gulf states to poorer Middle Eastern countries. A failure to contain COVID-19 in Middle East and North African countries could contribute to new waves in Europe and elsewhere. A change in US administration after the November elections could lead to a reversal of recent decisions cutting support to UN aid agencies.

scholarly journals Rentier state as an obstacle to development in the Middle East

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 20-29
Author(s):  
Andrzej Guzowski
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Arabian Peninsula ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Economic Structure ◽  
International Market ◽  
Rentier State ◽  
Rentier States ◽  
External Actors

Many Middle Eastern countries, especially the ones in Arabian Peninsula, are well-known for being rich with oil and gas. While it could be considered a blessing by many, it is becoming more and more apparent that the abundance of natural resources in the region is a double-edged sword and a form of a natural resource trap. Many countries have become so-called “rentier states”, funding their operations and their very structures by renting their resources to external actors. While it may seem like a profitable political move at first, said overreliance conserved the structure of economies in the Middle Eastern, never forcing the countries to develop effectively, thus making most of the produced goods, other than oil and gas, uncompetitive on the international market. Long term, it may prove disastrous for the Middle East as eventually the resources are going to get exhausted and said countries will be left with nothing but an economic structure unadjusted to the 21stcentury.

scholarly journals Domination of Conservative Traditionalists over the Development of Middle Eastern Countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Ali Akbar Ramazaniandarzi ◽  
Mehrzad Javadikouchaksaraei
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Social Development ◽  
Middle Eastern

Given the special political, cultural, historical, and religious conditions in the Middle East, the conservative elites in these regions have enhanced their commitment to their traditions and have opposed any changes in their societies. The most important feature of this conservative traditionalism is that it does not tolerate uneven economic development. However, this feature is inapplicable to political and social development.

The Effect of the Political Situation in the City of Jerusalem on the Rights of the Jerusalem Women

1970 ◽  
pp. 36-47
Author(s):  
Fadwa Al-Labadi
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Colonial Period ◽  
Sexual Life ◽  
Family Status ◽  
Colonial Legacy ◽  
Legal Principle ◽  
The Social ◽  
The City ◽  
Legislative Processes

The concept of citizenship was introduced to the Arab and Islamic region duringthe colonial period. The law of citizenship, like all other laws and regulations inthe Middle East, was influenced by the colonial legacy that impacted the tribal and paternalistic systems in all aspects of life. In addition to the colonial legacy, most constitutions in the Middle East draw on the Islamic shari’a (law) as a major source of legislation, which in turn enhances the paternalistic system in the social sector in all its dimensions, as manifested in many individual laws and the legislative processes with respect to family status issues. Family is considered the nucleus of society in most Middle Eastern countries, and this is specifically reflected in the personal status codes. In the name of this legal principle, women’s submission is being entrenched, along with censorship over her body, control of her reproductive role, sexual life, and fertility.

Akulturasi Budaya pada Ornamen Eksterior Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah: Analisis Semiotik

Metahumaniora ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Panji Maulani
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Analytic Method ◽  
Important Thing ◽  
Eastern Culture ◽  
Observational Measures ◽  
Central Java ◽  
Library Research

ABSTRAKProses penelitian ini dilakukan dengan melakukan penelitian lapangan danpenelitian kepustakaan. Analisis mendalam terkait akulturasi budaya pada arsitektur MasjidAgung Jawa Tengah didapat melalui penggunaan metode deskriptif-analitik dengan langkahlangkahobservatif. Langkah-langkah tersebut disesuaikan dengan sumber terkait, sehinggadata pada objek penelitian dapat dideskripsikan serta dianalisis dengan pendekatan budayadan arsitektur. Penelitian ini menjadi penting untuk dilakukan karena Masjid Agung JawaTengah memiliki ornamen eksterior yang sangat khas, berbeda dengan ornamen masjidraya-masjid raya lain di Indonesia, yang umumnya memiliki ornamen eksterior yang hanyaberakulturasi dengan budaya Timur Tengah. Pada Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah kita dapatmerasakan suasana seperti di masjid Nabawi dan suasana Colloseum di zaman Romawi.Terdapat 6 buah payung hidrolik seperti di masjid Nabawi dan gerbang Al-Qanathir yangmenyerupai Colloseum pada pelataran masjid akibat pembangunan Masjid Agung JawaTengah menggunakan paduan tiga unsur budaya: Jawa, Timur Tengah, dan Romawi.Kata kunci: akulturasi, ornamen, masjid agung, Jawa TengahABTRACTThe research process was conducted by field research and library research. Depthanalysis related to acculturation on the architecture of the Central Java Great Mosque obtainedusing descriptive-analytic method with observational measures. The steps are adapted to thecorresponding source, so that data on the research object can be described and analyzed withcultural and architectural approach. This research becomes important thing to do because ofthe Great Mosque of Central Java has a very distinctive exterior ornament, in contrast to theother great mosques in Indonesia, whose the exterior ornament is generally only acculturatedwith Middle Eastern culture. In Central Java Great Mosque we can feel the atmosphere likeat the Nabawi Mosque and the atmosphere of the Colosseum in Roman times. There are sixpieces of hydraulic umbrella like in Nabawi Mosque and Al-Qanathir gate that resembles theColosseum in the courtyard of the mosque as the result of the construction of the Central JavaGreat Mosque using a combination of three elements of culture: Java, Middle East, and Roman.Keywords: acculturation, ornament, grand mosque, Central Java

Sectarian struggle in the Middle East and the new Alliances

2019 ◽  
pp. 337
Author(s):  
Harith Qahtan Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
The Other ◽  
New Era ◽  
Islamic World ◽  
The World ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Other World ◽  
Islamic Civilization ◽  
New Formation

Our Islamic world passes a critical period representing on factional, racial and sectarian struggle especially in the Middle East, which affects the Islamic identification union. The world passes a new era of civilization formation, and what these a new formation which affects to the Islamic civilization especially in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon. The sectarian struggle led to heavy sectarian alliances from Arab Gulf states and Turkey from one side and Iran states and its alliances in the other side. The Sunni and Shia struggle are weaken the World Islamic civilization and it is competitive among other world civilization.

Fragmentation as a Challenge: Tribal and Sectrarian Identities in the Middle East

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-85
Author(s):  
Kleanthis Kyriakidis
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Arabian Gulf ◽  
The State ◽  
Islamic Revolution ◽  
Direct Response ◽  
Tribal Identity ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
The Ideal

In the Arabian Gulf two identities can be really considered almost as important as the national one: the tribal and the sectarian ones. Someone should expect that the reinforcement of these identities is a direct response to inequality and processes of exclusion. Furthermore, parochial tribalism is expected to arise as the protector of cultural heritage, especially in a region where the ex-pats vastly outnumber the locals. Nonetheless, both statements are far from truth. In this paper we will analyze how in the Gulf, sectarian identity came to play a significant role only after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran and it keeps on surviving through mainly instigations and Iranian propaganda, provocations and support. It should be noted that Sunni identity has been allegedly subjugated in other Middle East States (mainly in Syria and Iraq) but in the Gulf the sectarian challenge stems from the Shia communities, openly supported by Tehran. Strangely enough, the tribal identity does not pose that much of a challenge, since tribes are more the friend than the enemy of all Gulf States. Actually, these countries could not have survived without the loyalty and commitment of the tribes not only to the Royal families but also to the idea of the State and the ideal of the Nation – and Gulf Nations do protect their cultural heritage. Keywords: Gulf, Globalization, Fragmentation, Sectarianism, Tribalism

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