Suchergebnisse

This keynote speech addresses the context of producing knowledge about the Middle East and the problematic nature of this production especially at times of crisis. In order to evaluate this knowledge, we must consider the current context in which Middle East countries are engulfed. I argue that the so-called crisis in the Middle East is a reflection of another crisis in Europe, and that both have important consequences on the production of knowledge. The two crises are mirrors of each other and cannot be understood as isolated regional issues.

Although all Arab monarchies (Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Jordan and Morocco) witnessed varying degrees of mass protest during the Arab uprisings of 2011, none of the kings and princes has thus far been deposed. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia saw pockets of sporadic protest in many cities in the early months of 2011, but those failed to evolve into a mass protest movement across the country. This paper analyzes the conditions that led to Saudi stability, attributing it to a combination of domestic and regional factors. The paper also highlights how the conditions that led to monarchical resilience over the last five years may result in unexpected upheavals in the future.

The Arab uprisings posed serious challenges to Saudi Arabia at the level of society and leadership. Activists engaged in intense debates, and both real and virtual protest, to which the leadership responded by fighting for security and survival. The uprisings added to the regime's internal succession burdens as Islamists in other Arab countries won seats in elected parliaments. The regime responded by deploying tight security measures at home and adopting three strategies to contain the outcome of the Arab uprisings: containment, counter-revolution and revolution. This article examines the intersections between the local and regional challenges facing Saudi Arabia at a critical historical moment. It demonstrates that Arab revolutions and the empowerment of Islamists in neighbouring Arab countries contribute to Saudi Arabia's losing its unique Islamic credentials. The regime is eager to contain the uprisings in such a way as to remain the sole Islamic model in the region.

"So far Saudi Arabia has not witnessed the same level of mobilization that swept the Arab world since 2011. However, this article argues that Saudi women have intensified their demands for gender equality and joined men in calling for denied rights. From campaigns to lift the ban on driving to supporting the cause of political prisoners, they are beginning to question the conditions of exclusion imposed on them by an authoritarian state. This has intensified the state's willingness to co-opt women and grant them limited representation. The state is now forced to reach out to women in order to appear less masculine. In this changed context, the king has shifted the legitimacy of the ruling family to a new level, seeking to feminize the authoritarian masculine state." (author's abstract)