Michael Kerr and Craig Larkin (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780190458119
- eISBN:
- 9780190618520
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190458119.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
Throughout the turbulent history of the Levant the Alawis — a secretive, resilient and ancient Muslim sect — have aroused suspicion and animosity, including accusations of religious heresy. More ...
More
Throughout the turbulent history of the Levant the Alawis — a secretive, resilient and ancient Muslim sect — have aroused suspicion and animosity, including accusations of religious heresy. More recently they have been tarred with the brush of political separatism and complicity in the excesses of the Assad regime, claims that have gained greater traction since the onset of the Syrian uprising and subsequent devastating civil war. The contributors to this book provide a complex and nuanced reading of Syria's Alawi communities — from loyalist gangs (Shabiha) to outspoken critics of the regime. Drawing upon wide-ranging research that examines the historic, political and social dynamics of the Alawi and the Syrian state, the current tensions are scrutinized and fresh insights offered. Among the themes addressed are religious practice, social identities, and relations to the Ba’ath party, the Syrian state and the military apparatus. The analysis also extends to Lebanon with a focus on the embattled Alawi community of Jabal Mohsen in Tripoli and state relations with Hizballah amid the current crisis.Less
Throughout the turbulent history of the Levant the Alawis — a secretive, resilient and ancient Muslim sect — have aroused suspicion and animosity, including accusations of religious heresy. More recently they have been tarred with the brush of political separatism and complicity in the excesses of the Assad regime, claims that have gained greater traction since the onset of the Syrian uprising and subsequent devastating civil war. The contributors to this book provide a complex and nuanced reading of Syria's Alawi communities — from loyalist gangs (Shabiha) to outspoken critics of the regime. Drawing upon wide-ranging research that examines the historic, political and social dynamics of the Alawi and the Syrian state, the current tensions are scrutinized and fresh insights offered. Among the themes addressed are religious practice, social identities, and relations to the Ba’ath party, the Syrian state and the military apparatus. The analysis also extends to Lebanon with a focus on the embattled Alawi community of Jabal Mohsen in Tripoli and state relations with Hizballah amid the current crisis.
Mohamed Zayani and Suzi Mirgani (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780190491550
- eISBN:
- 9780190638597
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190491550.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
Bullets and Bulletins takes a sobering and holistic look at the intersections between media and politics before, during, and in the wake of the Arab uprisings. It is a multi-disciplinary approach to ...
More
Bullets and Bulletins takes a sobering and holistic look at the intersections between media and politics before, during, and in the wake of the Arab uprisings. It is a multi-disciplinary approach to the topic, with the research backed up by in-depth and rigorous case studies of the key countries of the Arab uprisings. The protests were accompanied by profound changes in the roles of traditional and new media across the Middle East. What added significantly to the amplification of demands and grievances in the public spheres, streets and squares, was the dovetailing of an increasingly indignant population—ignited by the prospects of economic and political marginalisation—with high rates of media literacy, digital connectivity, and social media prowess. This combination of political activism and mediated communication turned popular street protests into battles over information, where authorities and activists wrestled with each other over media messages. Information and communication technologies were used by both government authorities and protestors as simultaneous tools for silencing or amplifying dissent. Bullets and Bulletins offers original insights and analysis into the role of traditional and new media in what is undoubtedly a most critical period in contemporary Middle Eastern history.Less
Bullets and Bulletins takes a sobering and holistic look at the intersections between media and politics before, during, and in the wake of the Arab uprisings. It is a multi-disciplinary approach to the topic, with the research backed up by in-depth and rigorous case studies of the key countries of the Arab uprisings. The protests were accompanied by profound changes in the roles of traditional and new media across the Middle East. What added significantly to the amplification of demands and grievances in the public spheres, streets and squares, was the dovetailing of an increasingly indignant population—ignited by the prospects of economic and political marginalisation—with high rates of media literacy, digital connectivity, and social media prowess. This combination of political activism and mediated communication turned popular street protests into battles over information, where authorities and activists wrestled with each other over media messages. Information and communication technologies were used by both government authorities and protestors as simultaneous tools for silencing or amplifying dissent. Bullets and Bulletins offers original insights and analysis into the role of traditional and new media in what is undoubtedly a most critical period in contemporary Middle Eastern history.
Deborah L. Wheeler
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781474422550
- eISBN:
- 9781474435048
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474422550.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
This book argues that Internet diffusion and use in the Middle East enables meaningful micro-changes in citizens’ lives, even in states where no Arab Spring revolution occurred. Using ethnographic ...
More
This book argues that Internet diffusion and use in the Middle East enables meaningful micro-changes in citizens’ lives, even in states where no Arab Spring revolution occurred. Using ethnographic evidence, and conversations with Internet users in the Middle East, collected between 1996 and 2014 in Kuwait, Jordan, and Egypt, and a handful of short term research trips to other Arab states, including Tunisia (2000), Morocco (1997), UAE (1997; 2010-13), Oman (2004), Qatar (2011-2013), and Saudi Arabia (2012-13), this manuscript presents a grass roots look at how new media use fits into the practice of everyday life. It explores why citizens leverage social media to digitally route around state and other forms of power at work in their lives. As state capacity for buying public loyalty wanes throughout the Middle East, any increase in citizen civic engagement, supported by new media use, offers the possibility of a new order of things, from redefining patriarchal power relations at home, to reconfigurations of citizens’ relationships with the state, broadly defined. For reasons explored throughout this manuscript, new media channels offer pathways to empowerment widely and cheaply in the Middle East.Less
This book argues that Internet diffusion and use in the Middle East enables meaningful micro-changes in citizens’ lives, even in states where no Arab Spring revolution occurred. Using ethnographic evidence, and conversations with Internet users in the Middle East, collected between 1996 and 2014 in Kuwait, Jordan, and Egypt, and a handful of short term research trips to other Arab states, including Tunisia (2000), Morocco (1997), UAE (1997; 2010-13), Oman (2004), Qatar (2011-2013), and Saudi Arabia (2012-13), this manuscript presents a grass roots look at how new media use fits into the practice of everyday life. It explores why citizens leverage social media to digitally route around state and other forms of power at work in their lives. As state capacity for buying public loyalty wanes throughout the Middle East, any increase in citizen civic engagement, supported by new media use, offers the possibility of a new order of things, from redefining patriarchal power relations at home, to reconfigurations of citizens’ relationships with the state, broadly defined. For reasons explored throughout this manuscript, new media channels offer pathways to empowerment widely and cheaply in the Middle East.
Noha Mellor
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- September 2016
- ISBN:
- 9781474403191
- eISBN:
- 9781474418836
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474403191.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
The story of Egyptian identity from the beginning of the 20th century is one constructed by statesmen, intellectuals and Islamic thinkers. This book argues that the current fragmentation of Egypt's ...
More
The story of Egyptian identity from the beginning of the 20th century is one constructed by statesmen, intellectuals and Islamic thinkers. This book argues that the current fragmentation of Egypt's political scene reflects the increasing social division in a country where 'the people' are demanding a redefinition of their national identity. Scrutinising the society behind the uprisings that began in 2011 and their diverse economic, ideological and sectorial demands, it also looks at the desperate state's attempt to construct a unified Egyptian identity an attempt which has resulted in further splitting Egyptian society. The book focuses on the societal context that caused and continue to stir the internal conflict in Egypt and offers a fresh perspective in that it zooms in on the Egyptian society and its multiple layers. It also zooms in on the role of language and education in enforcing the status quo using a number of case studies to illustrate the development of nationalist discourse in Egypt.Less
The story of Egyptian identity from the beginning of the 20th century is one constructed by statesmen, intellectuals and Islamic thinkers. This book argues that the current fragmentation of Egypt's political scene reflects the increasing social division in a country where 'the people' are demanding a redefinition of their national identity. Scrutinising the society behind the uprisings that began in 2011 and their diverse economic, ideological and sectorial demands, it also looks at the desperate state's attempt to construct a unified Egyptian identity an attempt which has resulted in further splitting Egyptian society. The book focuses on the societal context that caused and continue to stir the internal conflict in Egypt and offers a fresh perspective in that it zooms in on the Egyptian society and its multiple layers. It also zooms in on the role of language and education in enforcing the status quo using a number of case studies to illustrate the development of nationalist discourse in Egypt.
Sean Yom
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780231175647
- eISBN:
- 9780231540278
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231175647.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
Based on comparative historical analyses of Iran, Jordan, and Kuwait, Sean L. Yom examines the foreign interventions, coalitional choices, and state outcomes that made the political regimes of the ...
More
Based on comparative historical analyses of Iran, Jordan, and Kuwait, Sean L. Yom examines the foreign interventions, coalitional choices, and state outcomes that made the political regimes of the modern Middle East. A key text for foreign policy scholars, From Resilience to Revolution shows how outside interference can corrupt the most basic choices of governance: who to reward, who to punish, who to compensate, and who to manipulate. As colonial rule dissolved in the 1930s and 1950s, Middle Eastern autocrats constructed new political states to solidify their reigns, with varying results. Why did equally ambitious authoritarians meet such unequal fates? Yom ties the durability of Middle Eastern regimes to their geopolitical origins. At the dawn of the postcolonial era, many autocratic states had little support from their people and struggled to overcome widespread opposition. When foreign powers intervened to bolster these regimes, they unwittingly sabotaged the prospects for long-term stability by discouraging leaders from reaching out to their people and bargaining for mass support—early coalitional decisions that created repressive institutions and planted the seeds for future unrest. Only when they were secluded from larger geopolitical machinations did Middle Eastern regimes come to grips with their weaknesses and build broader coalitions.Less
Based on comparative historical analyses of Iran, Jordan, and Kuwait, Sean L. Yom examines the foreign interventions, coalitional choices, and state outcomes that made the political regimes of the modern Middle East. A key text for foreign policy scholars, From Resilience to Revolution shows how outside interference can corrupt the most basic choices of governance: who to reward, who to punish, who to compensate, and who to manipulate. As colonial rule dissolved in the 1930s and 1950s, Middle Eastern autocrats constructed new political states to solidify their reigns, with varying results. Why did equally ambitious authoritarians meet such unequal fates? Yom ties the durability of Middle Eastern regimes to their geopolitical origins. At the dawn of the postcolonial era, many autocratic states had little support from their people and struggled to overcome widespread opposition. When foreign powers intervened to bolster these regimes, they unwittingly sabotaged the prospects for long-term stability by discouraging leaders from reaching out to their people and bargaining for mass support—early coalitional decisions that created repressive institutions and planted the seeds for future unrest. Only when they were secluded from larger geopolitical machinations did Middle Eastern regimes come to grips with their weaknesses and build broader coalitions.
Mehran Kamrava (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780190499372
- eISBN:
- 9780190638504
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190499372.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
Glittering skylines, high urbanization rates, and massive development projects have been common characteristics of the cities in the Persian Gulf. In order to understand the city as a cultural and ...
More
Glittering skylines, high urbanization rates, and massive development projects have been common characteristics of the cities in the Persian Gulf. In order to understand the city as a cultural and social space, this book explores the changing urban face of the Persian Gulf cities, as well as the processes and consequences of transformations that have occurred at an incredibly rapid pace. While some of these cities have rapidly evolved from regional centers of cultural and economic exchange to globalizing cities deeply embedded within the global economy, others have either left their best days behind them or largely retained their traditional fabrics. Yet forces of globalization and migration, national conceptualizations of citizenship, and various political and economic structures have collectively underpinned the politics of urban planning and development in the port cities of the Persian Gulf. The focus of this book revolves around the internal and external dynamics and developments that have shaped these contemporary port cities, and their roles, changing face, and broader consequences for the region and beyond. The Persian Gulf has long been a gateway to the world. This book provides a comprehensive study of the nature and importance, rise and fall, and domestic and international consequences of its port cities in modern times.Less
Glittering skylines, high urbanization rates, and massive development projects have been common characteristics of the cities in the Persian Gulf. In order to understand the city as a cultural and social space, this book explores the changing urban face of the Persian Gulf cities, as well as the processes and consequences of transformations that have occurred at an incredibly rapid pace. While some of these cities have rapidly evolved from regional centers of cultural and economic exchange to globalizing cities deeply embedded within the global economy, others have either left their best days behind them or largely retained their traditional fabrics. Yet forces of globalization and migration, national conceptualizations of citizenship, and various political and economic structures have collectively underpinned the politics of urban planning and development in the port cities of the Persian Gulf. The focus of this book revolves around the internal and external dynamics and developments that have shaped these contemporary port cities, and their roles, changing face, and broader consequences for the region and beyond. The Persian Gulf has long been a gateway to the world. This book provides a comprehensive study of the nature and importance, rise and fall, and domestic and international consequences of its port cities in modern times.
Amikam Nachmani
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781784993078
- eISBN:
- 9781526128560
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9781784993078.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
Relationships between Europe and its Muslim minorities constitute an extensive focus for discussion both within and outside the Continent. Europe’s readiness to coexist with its Muslim communities, ...
More
Relationships between Europe and its Muslim minorities constitute an extensive focus for discussion both within and outside the Continent. Europe’s readiness to coexist with its Muslim communities, not to exclude them from its culture and wealth, and not to forcibly Europeanize them, is repeatedly questioned. Likewise challenged is the ability and desire of Muslim migrants to change, to absorb, to adapt themselves to European standards and laws, to Western culture, etc. Europeans who have never been too tolerant of the “other,” now confront different ethnic groups who adhere to a different religion. Europe that for centuries marginalized religion now faces the active Muslim religion. The encounter often emphasizes the distinctions and differences between Europeans and Muslim immigrants, rather than existing or potential shared views and values. This work focuses on recent and past history, used by both sides, when describing present and future communal, racial and religious relations. This discourse often makes reference to European Jewry as a guiding precedent. As a result a very meaningful triangle of views, images, and insights has been formed. Among the topics one meets are the painful European-Jewish record and its implications for European–Muslim relations, the Holocaust, the European Right, mass Muslim immigration and its repercussions, contacts and reference to the State of Israel, Muslim violence, terror and anti-Semitic activity against European Jews and Jewish interests, European restrictions against Muslim and Jewish religious rites and worship, internal issues between states and a look into the future of Islam in Europe.Less
Relationships between Europe and its Muslim minorities constitute an extensive focus for discussion both within and outside the Continent. Europe’s readiness to coexist with its Muslim communities, not to exclude them from its culture and wealth, and not to forcibly Europeanize them, is repeatedly questioned. Likewise challenged is the ability and desire of Muslim migrants to change, to absorb, to adapt themselves to European standards and laws, to Western culture, etc. Europeans who have never been too tolerant of the “other,” now confront different ethnic groups who adhere to a different religion. Europe that for centuries marginalized religion now faces the active Muslim religion. The encounter often emphasizes the distinctions and differences between Europeans and Muslim immigrants, rather than existing or potential shared views and values. This work focuses on recent and past history, used by both sides, when describing present and future communal, racial and religious relations. This discourse often makes reference to European Jewry as a guiding precedent. As a result a very meaningful triangle of views, images, and insights has been formed. Among the topics one meets are the painful European-Jewish record and its implications for European–Muslim relations, the Holocaust, the European Right, mass Muslim immigration and its repercussions, contacts and reference to the State of Israel, Muslim violence, terror and anti-Semitic activity against European Jews and Jewish interests, European restrictions against Muslim and Jewish religious rites and worship, internal issues between states and a look into the future of Islam in Europe.
Simon Waldman and Emre Caliskan
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- July 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780190668372
- eISBN:
- 9780190848538
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190668372.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
The Turkey of today little resembles that of recent decades. Its economy has expanded, new political elites have emerged, and the once powerful Kemalist military is no longer a potent and dominant ...
More
The Turkey of today little resembles that of recent decades. Its economy has expanded, new political elites have emerged, and the once powerful Kemalist military is no longer a potent and dominant political player. Meanwhile, new prosperity has had many unexpected social and political repercussions, pre-eminent among which is the advent of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which first came to power in 2002 by downplaying its Islamist leanings and marketing itself as a center-right party.
After several terms in office, and amid unprecedented popularity, the conduct of the AKP and its leading cadres has faced growing criticism. Turkey has yet to solve its Kurdish question, and its foreign policy is increasingly under threat as it balances relations with Iran, Israel, Iraq, Russia and the Kurds, to name only a few of its more demanding interlocutors. Widespread domestic protests gripped the country in 2013. The government is now perceived by many to be corrupt, unaccountable, intimidating of the press and intolerant of alternative political views and criticism. Has this once promising democracy descended into a tyranny of the majority led by a charismatic leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan? Is Turkey more polarized now than ever in its recent history? These are among the questions posed in this timely primer on a rising economic power.Less
The Turkey of today little resembles that of recent decades. Its economy has expanded, new political elites have emerged, and the once powerful Kemalist military is no longer a potent and dominant political player. Meanwhile, new prosperity has had many unexpected social and political repercussions, pre-eminent among which is the advent of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which first came to power in 2002 by downplaying its Islamist leanings and marketing itself as a center-right party.
After several terms in office, and amid unprecedented popularity, the conduct of the AKP and its leading cadres has faced growing criticism. Turkey has yet to solve its Kurdish question, and its foreign policy is increasingly under threat as it balances relations with Iran, Israel, Iraq, Russia and the Kurds, to name only a few of its more demanding interlocutors. Widespread domestic protests gripped the country in 2013. The government is now perceived by many to be corrupt, unaccountable, intimidating of the press and intolerant of alternative political views and criticism. Has this once promising democracy descended into a tyranny of the majority led by a charismatic leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan? Is Turkey more polarized now than ever in its recent history? These are among the questions posed in this timely primer on a rising economic power.
Petter Bauck and Mohammed Omer (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9789774167706
- eISBN:
- 9781617975486
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774167706.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
More than twenty years have passed since Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) concluded the Oslo Accords, or Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements for ...
More
More than twenty years have passed since Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) concluded the Oslo Accords, or Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements for Palestine. It was declared “a political breakthrough of immense importance.” Israel officially accepted the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and the PLO recognized the right of Israel to exist. Critical views were voiced at the time about how the self-government established under the leadership of Yasser Arafat created a Palestinian-administered Israeli occupation, rather than paving the way towards an independent Palestinian state with substantial economic funding from the international community. The years since the Oslo Accords are scrutinized from a wide range of perspectives in this book. The text asks: did the agreement have a reasonable chance of success? What went wrong, causing the treaty to derail and delay a real, workable solution? What are the recommendations today to show a way forward for the Israelis and the Palestinians?Less
More than twenty years have passed since Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) concluded the Oslo Accords, or Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements for Palestine. It was declared “a political breakthrough of immense importance.” Israel officially accepted the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and the PLO recognized the right of Israel to exist. Critical views were voiced at the time about how the self-government established under the leadership of Yasser Arafat created a Palestinian-administered Israeli occupation, rather than paving the way towards an independent Palestinian state with substantial economic funding from the international community. The years since the Oslo Accords are scrutinized from a wide range of perspectives in this book. The text asks: did the agreement have a reasonable chance of success? What went wrong, causing the treaty to derail and delay a real, workable solution? What are the recommendations today to show a way forward for the Israelis and the Palestinians?
Steve A. Yetiv
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780801450020
- eISBN:
- 9780801463396
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9780801450020.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Middle Eastern Politics
This book tells the interconnected story of oil, globalization, and terrorism. It asks how Al-Qaeda, a small band of terrorists, became such a real and perceived threat to American and global ...
More
This book tells the interconnected story of oil, globalization, and terrorism. It asks how Al-Qaeda, a small band of terrorists, became such a real and perceived threat to American and global security, a threat viewed as profound enough to motivate the strongest power in world history to undertake extraordinary actions, including two very costly wars. The book argues that Middle East oil and globalization have combined to augment the real and perceived threat of transnational terrorism. Globalization has allowed terrorists to do things that otherwise would be more difficult and costly: exploit technology, generate fear beyond their capabilities, target vulnerable economic and political nodes, and capitalize on socio-economic dislocation. Meanwhile, Middle East oil has fueled terrorism by helping to bolster oil-rich regimes that terrorists hate, to fund the terrorist infrastructure, and to generate anti-American and anti-Western sentiments about American support for oil-rich regimes and perceived Western designs on Middle East oil. Together, Middle East oil and globalization have combined in various ways to help create Al-Qaeda's real and perceived threat, and that of its affiliates and offshoots. The book convincingly argues that it is critical to understand the connections among oil, globalization, and terrorism if we seek to comprehend modern global politics.Less
This book tells the interconnected story of oil, globalization, and terrorism. It asks how Al-Qaeda, a small band of terrorists, became such a real and perceived threat to American and global security, a threat viewed as profound enough to motivate the strongest power in world history to undertake extraordinary actions, including two very costly wars. The book argues that Middle East oil and globalization have combined to augment the real and perceived threat of transnational terrorism. Globalization has allowed terrorists to do things that otherwise would be more difficult and costly: exploit technology, generate fear beyond their capabilities, target vulnerable economic and political nodes, and capitalize on socio-economic dislocation. Meanwhile, Middle East oil has fueled terrorism by helping to bolster oil-rich regimes that terrorists hate, to fund the terrorist infrastructure, and to generate anti-American and anti-Western sentiments about American support for oil-rich regimes and perceived Western designs on Middle East oil. Together, Middle East oil and globalization have combined in various ways to help create Al-Qaeda's real and perceived threat, and that of its affiliates and offshoots. The book convincingly argues that it is critical to understand the connections among oil, globalization, and terrorism if we seek to comprehend modern global politics.
