9. Regionalism and Alliances in the Middle East

2019 ◽  
pp. 201-225
Author(s):  
Louise Fawcett
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Domestic Policy ◽  
External Influence ◽  
Regional Institutions ◽  
Policy Choices ◽  
Regional Trends ◽  
The Arab Spring

This chapter describes the changing dynamics of regionalism and alliance-making in the Middle East, processes that are closely related to and reflect states' foreign and domestic policy choices. The Middle East is not a region without regionalism at the societal or interstate level. There have been multiple forces for cooperation, particularly in the Arab world, based upon common identity, interests and beliefs; multiple alliances that intersect the Arab and non-Arab world; and evidence of cooperation in both broader and narrower regional settings like the Gulf. Global as well as regional trends and influences also push the Middle East into new arenas of cooperation. However, outcomes are mixed: an array of factors including regime insecurity, local rivalries, and external influence inhibit attempts at regional cooperation. Events since the Arab Spring have presented opportunities but also further challenges for Arab regional institutions as new divides and regional alignments emerge.

9. Alliances and Regionalism in the Middle East

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Fawcett
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
External Influence ◽  
Regional Institutions ◽  
Regional Community ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
Core Issues

This chapter investigates the changing dynamics of regionalism and alliance-making in the Middle East alongside international relations approaches that focus on the role of ideas, interests, and domestic and external agency in explaining efforts to build consensus and cooperation around core issues. The chapter first considers the experience of the Middle East in the context of international relations theory before discussing the theory and practice of regional cooperation. It then examines how regime insecurity, local rivalry, instability, and external influence inhibit attempts to create regional community. It also shows how events since the Arab Spring have seen opportunities and challenges for Arab regional institutions. Finally, it explores new trends in studies of regionalism that depart from Eurocentric models, thus allowing us to rethink the role of regions from new perspectives.

The “Arab Spring” as Seen through the Prism of the 1979 Iranian Revolution

2012 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Negin Nabavi
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Arab World ◽  
New Order ◽  
Iranian Revolution ◽  
The Past ◽  
To Come ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
Arab Middle East

Revolutions are by nature unpredictable and unsettling. That the wave of revolutions in North Africa and the Arab Middle East began so unexpectedly and spread with such speed, leading to the fall of the governments of Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, has added to the concern regarding the “new order” that is to come after the initial euphoria. From the outset, the fear has been that these revolutions will follow the same trajectory as Iran did in 1979—in other words, that they will marginalize those who launched the revolutions and provide the grounds for the rise to power of the most savvy, purposeful, and best organized of the opposition groups, namely, the Islamists. Yet when one considers the recent uprisings in the Arab world through the prism of Iran's experiences in 1979, the parallels are not so evident. Mindful of the variations and distinctions between each of the revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, it would appear that in broad terms, and beyond superficial similarities, there is little in common between the events of Iran in 1979 and what has happened in the past year in the Arab world.

Arab Awakening and Its Impact on Bangladesh

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 119-134
Author(s):  
Imtiaz Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Social Discourses ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way ◽  
At Home

Arab Awakening or Arab Spring has caught the imagination of many and has been a subject of intense discussions both at home and abroad. But then what impact did it have outside the Arab world, indeed, in places which remains related to it theologically, economically, socially, gastronomically, through ideas and dogmas such as Bangladesh? Will the impact be limited to politics or will it include the religious discourses as well? Will it boost the economy or see a decline? What about the Bangladeshi diaspora in the Middle East-will it play a different role and contribute to the economic and social discourses back home now that the Arab world is on the way of experiencing greater freedom? Will it transform the religious discourses that have lately infected Bangladesh? Or, will the spirit of the Arab spring be used for narrow political goals? Answers, however, may not be as easy as the queries. The article will try to explain as to why that is the case.

The Arab Spring: A View from Israel

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haim Bresheeth
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
The West ◽  
Protest Movement ◽  
History Of ◽  
The One ◽  
The Arab Spring

The Arab Spring is one of the most complex and surprising political developments of the new century, especially after a decade of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab western propaganda. While is too early to properly evaluate the process and its various national apparitions, it is important to see it in a historical context. This article places the Arab Spring firmly within the history of pan Arabism, and the threat it posed to the west and Israel in its earlier, Nasserist phase. The work of Amin, Marfleet and others, is used to frame the current developments, and present the limited view offered from an Israeli perspective, where any democratisation of the Arab world is seen as a threat. This is so despite the obvious influence the Arab Spring had on protest in Israel in Summer 1011, a protest which has now seemingly spent itself; it is fascinating to note that the only protest movement in the Middle East not involving violent clashes with the regime it criticised, is also the one which has not achieved any of its aims.

Impact of the “Arab Spring” on Migration Processes in 2011–2015

2018 ◽  
pp. 52-61
Author(s):  
Oksana Lebedeva
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Migration Policy ◽  
International Terrorism ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Social Significance ◽  
Illegal Migration ◽  
The Arab Spring

The article is devoted to the study of the relationship between the revolutionary events in the Arab world in 2011-2014 and the growth of migration flows from the Middle East. Migration processes in the modern world are becoming more widespread, affecting both the domestic policy of the countries and foreign policy relations. The aim of the research is to study and identify the factors, trends and features of modern migration processes from the Middle East to the EU member-states, as well as to assess the socio-economic consequences of migration. The relevance of the research is determined not only by the increased social significance of the phenomenon of migration in the context of globalization, but also by the complexity, diversity of problems associated with it. To study the phenomenon of migration, an integrated, interdisciplinary approach was applied. This work introduces new information about the specifics of migration processes from the Middle East to European countries into scientific circulation and political practice. The author comes to the conclusion that with the beginning of the «Arab spring» forced and illegal migration has become predominant, which in Europe has led to the deterioration of social security and the economic situation. The study has showed that the nature of migration has changed significantly due to the spread of the threat of international terrorism. In view of the significant changes in migration processes related to terrorism, the attitude towards migrants has changed significantly, and the migration policy of the countries has adopted tougher measures towards foreigners.

scholarly journals The United States in the Middle East (2001–2014): from intervention to retrenchment/Os EUA no Oriente Médio (2001–2014): da intervenção ao cerceamento

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 442-475
Author(s):  
Peter R. Demant ◽  
Ariel Finguerut
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Arab World ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Us ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
The Impact

The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the paradoxical consequences the so-called “Arab Spring”, from 2011 to 2014/15, which has led in various countries of the Arab world and beyond to different outcomes, but nowhere to stable democracy. We intend to discuss the outcomes of those political mobilizations and revolts, paying special attention to (a) the role of Islamist movements and (b) U.S reactions to the recent Mideast upheavals. We start with a general analysis and go to a few case studies (e.g. Egypt, Syria, and Turkey). In discussing the impact of Islamism, we attempt a classification of currents along two coordinates, one parameter contrasting Sunni and Shiite movements, the other laying out the continuum from pacific-modernist to violent jihadist. We defend that the dynamics of intra-Islamist tensions (such as Sunni jihadist against the Shiite Hizbullah-Syria-Iran axis) are no less crucial than the religious-secularist divide for understanding recent developments. Regarding US policies, we emphasize the dilemmas and contradictions within U.S government. We investigate the hypothesis that the US was caught largely unaware by the Arab Spring, and that its reactions suffered from the amorphousness of prior positions of the Obama administration, combined with leftovers from the Bush period. Internal contradictions of Obama’s Middle East doctrine coupled with a general isolationist trend have precluded the US from assuming more forceful policies, creating frustrations on all sides, and enflaming rather than dousing the fires of anti-Westernism in the Islamic world.Keywords: Arab Spring ; U.S policies ; Syria; jihadist.  Resumo: O principal objetivo deste artigo é discutir as consequências paradoxais da chamada "Primavera Árabe", que a partir de 2011 aos nossos dias produziu em vários países do mundo árabe diferentes resultados, mas em nenhum lugar chegou-se à democracia estável. Temos a intenção de discutir os resultados dessas mobilizações políticas e revoltas, com especial atenção para (a) o papel dos movimentos islâmicos e (b) as reações e posturas dos EUA ante os recentes levantes no Oriente Médio. De uma análise geral partiremos para estudos de caso (como Egito, Síria e Turquia). Ao discutir o impacto do islamismo, tentamos uma classificação das correntes ao longo de duas coordenadas, um deles contrastando movimentos sunitas e xiitas, e outro que define o continuum de pacifista - modernista para jihadista –violento. Postulamos que a dinâmica das tensões intra- islâmicos (como a de jihadistas sunitas contra o eixo Hezbollah -Síria- Irã xiita) não são menos importantes do que a divisão religiosa - secular para compreender os desdobramentos recentes. No que diz respeito aos EUA, destacamos os dilemas e contradições dentro do governo dos EUA. Nós investigamos a hipótese de que os EUA foi pego de surpresa em grande parte pela Primavera Árabe, e que as reações do governo Obama traduzem mais um recolhimento do que um novo engajamento.Palavras-chave: Primavera Árabe; Políticas dos EUA; Síria; jihadismo.   DOI: 10.20424/2237-7743/bjir.v4n3p442-475

scholarly journals CONSEQUENCES OF THE REALIZATION OF NATO STRATEGY IN THE CONFLICTS OF "THE ARAB SPRING" FOR THE STATES OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

2016 ◽  
pp. 118-124
Author(s):  
E. A. Antyukhova
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Eastern Area ◽  
Regional Conflicts ◽  
The North ◽  
The Arab Spring

The article considers the consequences of the realization of NATO strategy in the conflicts of "the Arab spring" for the states of the Middle East and North Africa. It is pointed out that the main approaches to the realization of NATO strategy, its results and the consequences of the Alliance crisis management of "the Arab spring" have a contradictory character. On the one hand, the strategic problem of the block has been realized: arrangement of conflicts and an attempt to appear in the opinion of the world community as the only peacekeeping force capable of controlling and resolving regional conflicts. At the same time the Alliance has shown the efficiency of its partner programs. The high quality performance of the military forces of NATO has been confirmed. The North Atlantic Alliance has started moves towards strengthening its own positions in the region under the auspices of assistance in democratization of Arab states by supporting protest performances. On the other hand, the members of the Alliance have very specifically approached the realization of tasks of settlement of the conflicts. As a result, in the majority of the countries of the Arab world the conflicts not only have not been settled but, on the contrary, in a number of cases have intensified. One of the main consequences of the realization of NATO of its approaches to settlement of the events of "the Arab spring" was the export of "instability" which entailed radical changes in the geopolitical situation in the Middle East region. The geopolitical configuration of all the Middle Eastern area has changed. Some diffusion of the territorial activity of certain states (Iraq, Libya, Syria) is observed. In the course of the Arab crisis there appeared new ethnic (Kurdish) and territorial ("The Islamic State") enclaves. More and more countries are found to be involved in the conflict.

scholarly journals CAUSES OF MODERN COUPS AND CONSIDERATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE ESCALATION OF THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN ARAB COUNTRIES

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1514-1521
Author(s):  
Gaziza Kurpebayeva
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Political Strategy ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
The Arab Spring

Purpose of the study: The article describes the comparative analysis of the main parameters of the Arab Spring Revolution. The Arab world is the ethnic core of the Middle East. These countries faced an acute problem of choosing their political strategy. Globalization has largely discounted the idea of national sovereignty and a self-sufficient economy with the leading role of the public sector. Methodology: The main methodological approaches are defined using the basic principles reflected in leading researchers' works in political, historical, and social sciences. The complete application of comparative historical analysis allowed us to determine the main stages and trends in developing political processes within the "Arab spring" framework. The use of modeling and forecasting methods allows determining options for further development of these processes. Main Findings: The Middle East and North Africa took part in the forced revolutionary transformation of political regimes, called the Arab spring. The growth of protests in the region is due to internal and external reasons. Each country depends on the specific socio-political, economic, religious situation, and the characteristics of states' historical development. Applications of this study: Based on the results of this study, it is possible to develop new recommendations for the foreign ministries of countries that are neutral in relation to the processes of socio-political transformations in the Arab countries. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study is one of the first attempts to consider the socio-political processes that took place in the countries of the Arab East through the prism of Kazakh diplomacy, as a country that does not have certain geopolitical goals and benefits, as a country that does not have a direct or indirect relationship to the events of the Arab spring.

Israel and the Arab Spring

2016 ◽  
pp. 59-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eyal Zisser
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Class ◽  
Social Order ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
The Arab Spring

In the middle of the winter of 2010 the “Spring of the Arab Nations,” suddenly erupted without any warning all over the Middle East. However, the momentum of the uprisings was impeded rather quickly, and the hopes held out for the “Spring of the Arab Nations” turned into frustration and disappointment. While many Israelis were focusing their attention in surprise, and some, without a doubt, with concern as well, on what was happening in the region around them, suddenly, in Israel itself, at the height of the steamy summer of 2011, an “Israeli Spring” broke out. The protesters were young Israelis belonging to the Israeli middle class. Their demands revolved around the slogan, “Let us live in our land.” However, similar to what happened in the Arab world, the Israeli protest subsided little by little. The hassles of daily life and security and foreign affairs concerns once more became the focus of the public's attention. And so the protesters' hopes were disappointed, and Israel's political, economic, and social order remained unshaken.

Nasser's Gamble

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Ferris
Keyword(s):  
Cold War ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Original Material ◽  
Egyptian Revolution ◽  
Arab Nationalism ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
The Cold War ◽  
The Arab Spring

This book draws on declassified documents from six countries and original material in Arabic, German, Hebrew, and Russian to present a new understanding of Egypt's disastrous five-year intervention in Yemen, which Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser later referred to as “my Vietnam.” The book argues that Nasser's attempt to export the Egyptian revolution to Yemen played a decisive role in destabilizing Egypt's relations with the Cold War powers, tarnishing its image in the Arab world, ruining its economy, and driving its rulers to instigate the fatal series of missteps that led to war with Israel in 1967. Viewing the Six Day War as an unintended consequence of the Saudi–Egyptian struggle over Yemen, the book demonstrates that the most important Cold War conflict in the Middle East was not the clash between Israel and its neighbors. It was the inter-Arab struggle between monarchies and republics over power and legitimacy. Egypt's defeat in the “Arab Cold War” set the stage for the rise of Saudi Arabia and political Islam. Bold and provocative, this book brings to life a critical phase in the modern history of the Middle East. Its compelling analysis of Egypt's fall from power in the 1960s offers new insights into the decline of Arab nationalism, exposing the deep historical roots of the Arab Spring of 2011.

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