Opposition and Control in Turkey

1966 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 375-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Şerif Mardin
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Political Culture ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Developing Nations ◽  
The State ◽  
Usual Sense ◽  
The People ◽  
Political Traditions ◽  
Arab States ◽  
And Control

Turkey is not in the usual sense a developing country. It is a state, the fabric of which has endured for a number of centuries. Consequently, its political culture embodies elements which go far back into history. It has both an ethos and eidos of service to the state and a bureaucratic apparatus which for centuries has been entrusted with the application of the values embodied in its political culture. The structure of the state has been somewhat looser in Iran, but there too, the situation is appreciably different from what it is in the Arab states or Pakistan where the structure of the state is recent, its mark on the ethos of the people slight and its political traditions embryonic. In the case of Turkey and to a less extent in Iran, some of the crucial problems of developing nations – problems which are acute in many Arab states – such as those of building up an identity as a nation, overcoming particularistic allegiances, launching oneself into the take-off stages of industrialization are well on the way to solution. We are faced then, under the rubric of ‘Middle East’ with a number of countries which are at different stages on the scale of modernization. By itself, this would suffice to make the subsuming of all Middle Eastern countries under a single heading extremely unwise.

Political Culture Approach to Middle East Politics

1977 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Ben-Dor
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Political Culture ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Good Deal ◽  
The State ◽  
Middle Eastern Studies ◽  
History Of ◽  
Middle East Politics ◽  
State Of The Field

Ten years ago dissatisfaction with the state of studying Middle East politics may well have led one to believe that to a very large extent, the shortage of scholars qualified in the esoteric languages, elaborate traditions, and long history of the area was to blame. In fact, at the time there was a good deal of justification to speak of an expected shortage of experts in Middle Eastern studies, to the point where importing such scholars from abroad was considered as an alternative. Today, the problem seems to be more to find positions for fair numbers of fresh Ph.D.s in Middle Eastern history, sociology, and politics. The dissatisfaction with the state of the field, however, remains intact.

Toward a Semiotics of Middle Eastern Cultures

1980 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Complementary Method ◽  
Sign Systems ◽  
The People ◽  
Symbolic Life ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
Fresh Perspective ◽  
Eastern Cultures ◽  
Semiotic Theory

There exists a growing body of literature which either explicitly or implicitly utilizes semiotic theory to discuss various sign systems in the Middle East. I believe that by exploring these works and linking them to similar studies, we can acquire a fresh perspective on the symbolic life of the people of the Middle East. I do not argue that semiotics can or should replace other paradigmatic approaches to out analysis of culture, but rather that semiotics can serve as a complementary method for interpreting sign systems.

scholarly journals Queer representation in Arab and Middle Eastern Films

2021 ◽  
pp. 71-86
Author(s):  
Maria Abdel Karim
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Narrative Structure ◽  
The State ◽  
Audience Reception ◽  
Queer Identity ◽  
Cultural Contexts ◽  
Mise En Scene ◽  
Queer Representation ◽  
Women's Cinema

Queer representations have been present since the 1930s in Arab and Middle Eastern cinema, albeit always in coded forms. However, the idea of homosexuality or queerness in the Middle East is still not tolerated due to religious, political, social and cultural reasons. Middle Eastern filmmakers who represent homosexual relations in their films could face consequences ranging from censorship to punishment by the State or religious extremists. This article explores the representation of lesbians in three transnational Middle Eastern women’s films: Caramel (Sukkar banat, 2007) by Nadine Labaki, set in Lebanon, Circumstance (2011) by Maryam Keshavarz, set in Iran, and In Between (Bar Bahar, 2016) by Maysaloun Hamoud, set in Israel/Palestine. It analyses the position the female lesbian protagonists occupy in the narrative structure and their treatment within the cinematic discourse. The article will examine mise-en-scène elements and compare each director’s stylistic and directorial approach in representing homosexuality within different social and cultural contexts. It will also prompt discussions related to queer identity, queer feminism, women’s cinema, audience reception and spectatorship within the Middle East.

Book Review of Middle Eastern Tourism: A Macro and Micro Perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alf H. Walle ◽  
Nader Asgary
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Active Engagement ◽  
The People ◽  
Cultural Empowerment ◽  
Excellent Method ◽  
Thoughtful Discussion ◽  
Ecological Preservation

The Middle East needs a thoughtful discussion regarding tourism and how to involve local communities and ethnic enclaves within this industry with an eye towards economic development, ecological preservation, and cultural empowerment. The proposed project will help the people of the Middle East to choose and implement appropriate tourism strategies that are sustainable and equitable. The focus is upon active engagement of local peoples to control their destinies in ways that simultaneously mesh with and reinforce national strategies in an equitable manner. Doing so will advance bottom-up development and is an excellent method of defusing potentially adversarial relationships while encouraging cooperation.

Pensée 2: On the Virtues and Limits of Private Politics in the Middle East

2007 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-176
Author(s):  
Bernard Haykel
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Political Culture ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Political Engagement ◽  
Political Practice ◽  
Private Politics ◽  
Democratic Systems ◽  
Sectarian Identity

The most glaring aspect of America's failure at democratizing Iraq has been policymakers' inability to take local political culture and values into consideration. Democracy was understood to consist of such trappings as a well-drafted constitution, regular elections, and a vociferous parliament; it seems no thought was given to the influence of tribal affinities and networks or the implications of sectarian identity on politics. Constitutions, elections, and parliaments are important elements in democratic systems, but they do not in and of themselves lessen autocratic rule, as can be witnessed in many Middle Eastern countries. Something else in terms of political practice must exist for autocracy and despotism to be blunted. I argue here that attention should be given to private forms of political engagement that are rooted in tribal and Islamic norms and practices.

Political Culture and the Making of Tradition: A Comment

1998 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 249-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Gal
Keyword(s):  
Political Culture ◽  
Power Relations ◽  
The State ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
The Real ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
The People ◽  
Fundamental Values

For Decades, Scholars have claimed that “culture” is one important factor in shaping political processes. Individuals and groups hold fundamental values and expectations that contribute to the maintenance or collapse of democracy, nationalism, fascism, communism, and other political systems. Recently, however, the argument has been extended considerably: political culture and ritual, it is now claimed, are not simply the colorful, attitudinal, sometimes manipulative icing on the cake of the real interests and power relations that move history. More fundamentally, “interests,” “power,” “sovereignty,” the “people,” the “nation,” “tradition,” and even the “state” are being studied as ideological devices with logics, rhetorics, and effects specific to particular historical contexts. Political processes operate through such categories, which are culturally constructed and only appear to be unproblematic and self-evident.

scholarly journals Representasi Kearifan Lokal Budaya Timur Tengah dalam Film “Aladdin (2019)” Produksi Walt Disney Pictures

Koneksi ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Nada Salsabila ◽  
Diah Ayu Candraningrum
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Musical Instrument ◽  
Semiotic Analysis ◽  
Cultural Symbols ◽  
Eastern Culture ◽  
Walt Disney ◽  
The People ◽  
The Right ◽  
The City

This research examines the representation of Middle Eastern culture local wisdom contained in the film "Aladdin 2019" produced by Walt Disney Pictures. This study aims to examine the cultural symbols of the Middle East. The research method used in this study is a qualitative method with Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic analysis which divides the sign into three elements namely sign, object and interpretant. Semiotics is the science that discusses or examines the meaning of a sign. The results showed that Middle Eastern cultural symbols in the film "Aladdin 2019" were displayed through 10 scenes selected in the film. Cultural symbols of the Middle East are shown through the habits of the people kissing the right and left cheeks every time they meet relatives, riding camels to travel, livelihoods of people who trade, princess clothes Jasmine and Sultan, building architecture made of bricks and domes as decoration and art that displays traditional Middle Eastern musical instrument namely Gambus. Some interesting facts in the film one of which is the making of the city "Agrabah" as a shooting setting which is a fictitious city in England and property made of authentic jewelry.  Penelitian ini mengkaji mengenai representasi kearifan lokal budaya Timur Tengah yang terdapat dalam Film “Aladdin 2019” Produksi Walt Disney Pictures. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji simbol-simbol budaya Timur Tengah. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode kualitatif dengan analisis semiotika Charles Sanders Peirce yang membagi tanda menjadi tiga elemen yaitu tanda, objek dan interpretan. Semiotika adalah ilmu yang membahas atau mengkaji mengenai pemaknaan dari sebuah tanda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa simbol-simbol budaya Timur Tengah dalam Film “Aladdin 2019” ditampilkan melalui 10 scene yang dipilih dalam film tersebut. Simbol-simbol Budaya Timur Tengah ditunjukkan melalui kebiasaan masyarakat cium pipi kanan dan kiri setiap bertemu kerabat, menunggangi unta untuk bepergian, mata pencaharian masyarakat yang berdagang, pakaian putri Jasmine dan Sultan, arsitektur bangunan berasal dari batu bata dan kubah sebagai hiasan serta kesenian yang menampilkan alat musik tradisional Timur Tengah yaitu Gambus. Beberapa fakta menarik dalam film tersebut salah satunya adalah pembuatan kota “Agrabah” sebagai latar syuting yang merupakan kota fiktif di Inggris dan properti yang terbuat dari perhiasan asli.

scholarly journals POLITICAL SYSTEM AS A CONDITION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF STATE AND LAW

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1803-1805
Author(s):  
Dimitar Spaseski
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Political Culture ◽  
Political System ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
The State ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
The People ◽  
Democratic Societies ◽  
The Government

The state has a central place in the political system. Through its structure and positioning the country has the strength to be a unifier of society against its overall division of the various classes and layers, ethnic, cultural and other groups. The legitimacy of all these processes is given by laws that determine the trajectory of all processes and the conditions under which the processes take place. The state, by adopting the highest legal acts such as: the constitution and the laws, achieves one of its most important functions, which is the management of society. The state directs society to promote development, but also punishes and sanction infringements and mistakes. Depending on who exercises power in the state, i.e. whether it belongs to the people, to an individual or to a powerful group, the political system can be determined. The political system in itself includes the overall state relations, the relations in society and the guidelines for the conduct of the policy of the state. A state in which the government is elected by the people through direct elections certainly fulfills the basic requirement for the development of a stable civil society. The political system is one of the sub-systems of the entire civil society. The political system is specific in that all the activities and relations of which it is composed are directed to the state and its functions. The structure of the political system is composed of political and legal norms, political knowledge, political culture and political structure. These elements confirm the strong relationship between the state, the law and the political system. Developed democratic societies can talk about a developed political system that abounds with political culture and democracy. It is the aspiration of our life. Investing in democratic societies we invest in the future of our children. If we separate the subjects of the political system, we will determine that the people are the basis of the political system. All competencies intertwine around people. Political systems are largely dependent not only on the political processes that take place in them every day, but also on the economic performance and the economic power of the states. Economic stagnation or regression in some countries often threatens democracy and its values. We often forget that we cannot speak of the existence of a functioning and well-organized democratic political system without its strong economic support. In conditions of globalization, it is necessary to pay special attention to international positions as the main factor of the political system, for the simple reason that the functions of the state in this process are increasingly narrowing.

scholarly journals All in the Family

2000 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 122-126
Author(s):  
Allen McDuffee
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Assistant Professor ◽  
The State ◽  
The Other ◽  
State University ◽  
The Family ◽  
Georgia State University ◽  
The Status

Despite the instability usually attributed to the Middle East, today one finds anunusual level of stability in eight of its monarchies. When mosl countries of theworld are converting to some form of "democracy," what has led this type ofstate system to such stability? In his book, All in the Family, Michael Herb,Assistant Professor of Political Science at Georgia State University, providesthe most thought-provoking work on Middle Eastern monarchies since rentierstate theory became fashionable. Herb determines that "there are two distinctforms of monarchism in the Middle East. One is resilient and the other is not''(p. 235). His basic thesis is that the key to the survival, persistence, andresilience of monarchies in the Middle East is the willingness and ability of theruling families to saturate the most important positions in the state apparatus.He terms this "dynastic monarchism"-the idea that "the ruling family formsitself into a ruling institution, monopolizing the key offices of the state" (p.235). In the unsuccessful type of monarchy, the king "maneuvers among variousforces-the army, the parliament, and the parties-and when he loses balancethe monarchy falls" (p. 235). Case studies are used to illustrate bothmonarchical models: dynastic (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United ArabEmirates, Bahrain, and Oman) and nondynastic (Libya, Egypt, Iraq, Iran.Morocco, Jordan, and Afghanistan - usually excluded from studies on theMiddle East). This book relies on comparative analysis and is based not onlyon archival research, but also on interviews and secondary sources.In the second and third chapters, "The Emergence of Dynastic Monarchy andthe Causes of Its Persistence" and "Arabian Society and the Emergence of thePetro-State," respectively, the reader gets a sense of the rise of the petro-stateand how it enabled dynastic monarchies to emerge. He asserts that theyemerged because the ruler's relatives "had powerful bargaining resourceswhich they could use to help rulers stay in power, to aid aspiring rulers inachieving power, or to attack and depose sitting rulers" (p. 22). Tims, the emergenceof the petro-state added another dimension in intrafamily negotiations.Dynasties consolidate power by limiting the status of any individual or clique.Coalitions are built by the rulers through distribution of government positionsto relatives as a means of assuring their cooperation. Dynasties are strengthenedby forming consensus on the issue of succession rather than depending onprimogeniture. As a result, a ruler is held accountable to his family who ...

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