Marina and David Ottaway have brought together fifty years of experience observing the Arab world, and a wealth of first-hand information gathered from living and travelling extensively in the region. 'A Tale of Four Worlds' is an indispensable analysis of the profound upheavals that have shaken - and continue to transform - Arab and global politics.
This is a comprehensive survey of minorities in the Middle East with a special focus on the post Arab Spring era and a rich trove of information and insights generated from the detailed case studies. It is situated in a broader research agenda about how Revolutions in general affect the status of minorities and for comparative purposes, it further explores general questions of how minorities fared in revolutionary times and in their aftermaths and under what conditions revolutions could lead to more minority-tolerant regimes.
Why did Tunisian protests following the self-immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi lead to a massive wave of uprisings across the entire Arab world? Who participated in those protests, and what did they hope to achieve? Why did some leaders fall in the face of popular mobilization while others found ways to survive? And what have been the lasting results of the contentious politics of 2011 and 2012? The Arab uprisings pose stark challenges to the political science of the Middle East, which for decades had focused upon the resilience of entrenched authoritarianism, the relative weakness of civil soci
Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- About MEI@ND -- Acknowledgements -- Contributors -- Chapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: Saudi Arabia after the Arab Spring -- Chapter 3: Exploring the Nexus between Democratisation, Authoritarianism and Patriarchy in Iran and Saudi Arabia -- Chapter 4: Al-Azhar as a Key Player in Countering the Radical Ideology of Global Jihad -- Chapter 5: Gulf Think Tanks and Regional Security Policy after 2011 -- Chapter 6: The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia -- Chapter 7: (Un)Development Effects of Real Estate Boom in Egypt after the Arab Uprising -- Chapter 8: Arab Spring and Arms Trade in MENA -- Chapter 9: Lebanon's 17 October Revolution, WhatsApp and Mass Mobilisation -- Chapter 10: The Arab Spring and Extremism among Sunni Minorities in Iran -- Chapter 11: Digitalisation of Conflict and Cooperation in the Middle East -- Chapter 12: The Shadow Line: Turkey and the Arab Spring -- Chapter 13: Narratives on Arab World in Turkish Academic Discourse: Publications of State-Centric Institutions -- Chapter 14: China Foreign Policy in Middle East and North Africa after the Arab Spring -- Chapter 15: Bear Hug: Russia's Return to the Middle East -- Chapter 16: India and the Arab Spring -- Index.
This study is premised on the notion that subnational undemocratic regimes (SURs) within countries not only differ among each other but that they maintain different relations with the federal government, which is why they are reproduced differently. The book argues that alternative pathways of SUR continuity result first and foremost from the capacity (or lack thereof) of democratic presidents to wield power over SURs and autocrats.
Uprisings in the Arab world : tyranny, anarchy, and (perhaps) democracy / Mark L. Haas and David W. Lesch -- Lessons from a small place : the dignity revolutions in Tunisia, North Africa, and the globe / Julia Clancy-Smith -- Revolution and counter-revolution in Egypt / Jeannie L. Sowers and Bruce K. Rutherford -- The Libyan spring : from dream to disillusionment / Karim Mezran and Laurentina Cizza -- Anatomy of an uprising : Bashar Al-Asad's fateful choices that launched a civil war / David W. Lesch -- How Saudi Arabia has dodged the Arab Spring / Steve A. Yetiv -- Jordan and the Arab Spring / Curtis R. Ryan -- Iraq and the Arab Spring : from protests to the rise of ISIS / Ibrahim Al-Marashi -- Non-Arab countries and the Arab Spring / Mark L. Haas and David W. Lesch -- Iran and the Arab uprisings / Narges Bajoghli and Arang Keshavarzian -- Turkey and the Arab spring : the rise and fall of democracy promotion in a revolutionary era / Mark L. Haas -- Israel's response to the Arab Spring : a perfect storm or an opportunity for change? / Ilan Peleg -- Russia and the Arab Spring / Robert O. Freedman -- US policy after the uprisings : alliances, democracy, and force / Jeremy Pressman -- Conclusion : the Arab world at the intersection of the national and transnational / James L. Gelvin.
"The Arab Spring unexpectedly developed in late 2010 with peaceful protests in a number of Arab countries against long-standing, entrenched regimes, and rapid political change across the region ensued. The Arab Spring: Change and Resistance in the Middle East examines these revolutions and their aftermath. Noted authorities writing specifically for this volume contribute chapters focusing on countries directly or indirectly involved, illuminating the immediate and long-term impacts of the revolutions in the region and throughout the world. A thoughtful concluding chapter ties together key themes, while also delineating persistent myths and misinterpretations. This is an essential volume for students and scholars of the Middle East, as well as anyone seeking a fuller understanding of region and what may lie ahead"--Provided by publisher
This book is based on the papers presented at the "International Workshop on Democratic and Constitutional Transitions in the Middle East," organized by İstanbul Şehir University on 11-12 May 2012. The Arab uprisings have been analyzed in detail in this volume along with the questions below: How to explain the sudden eruption of the uprisings? Are they protests without sufficient organization to overthrow the authoritarian systems? Is the discourse of protest Arab-specific or does it touch on apparently universal values of liberalism, democracy, participation, and human security? What is this "democratic transition" that inspired the Arab awakenings, when "democracy" can mean so many different things to people? What kind of a state and economic system will these countries have? Is Islam compatible with different forms of government? Can Turkey serve as a model for the democratizing Arab countries?
"This volume examines the role of Arab women in the Arab Spring and their contribution to the ongoing process of change sweeping the region. The book begins with an examination of the process of democratization and its impediments in the Arab World since the Second World War. It then looks at the conditions that led to the upsurge of the so-called Arab Spring. Finally it underscores womens role as participants, organizers leaders but also as victims. The main thesis of the book is that while Arab women were an integral part of the revolutionary efforts within the Arab Spring paradigm, they did not benefit from their sacrifices. Although they continue to be part of the process of change, their gains, rights and scope for participation are still limited. If the expansion of womens participation and the scope of their rights do not seem to be a priority for revolutionary forces, women have made remarkable achievements, especially in some Arab Spring countries such as Yemen and Libya. The book includes case studies of some Arab Spring countries and other countries influenced by developments: Egypt, Bahrain Kuwait, Libya, Yemen, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. It calls on revolutionary and reformist forces to give special attention to issues related to Arab women, as they are an indispensable pillar in the process of reform, development, peace and stability in the Middle East"--
"This volume examines contemporary political relations between Turkey and the Middle East. In the light of the Arab uprisings of 2011, the Syria crisis, the escalation of regional terrorism and the military coup attempt in Turkey. It illustrates the dramatic fluctuations in Turkish foreign policy towards key Middle Eastern countries, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Iraq. The contributors analyze Turkey's deepening involvement in Middle Eastern regional affairs, also addressing issues such as terrorism, social and political movements and minority rights struggles. While these problems have traditionally been regarded as domestic matters, this book highlights their increasingly regional dimension and implications for the foreign affairs of Turkey and countries in the Middle East." -- Back cover
List of tables -- Abbreviations -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- India, Arab world and the Arab unrest -- Arab unrest, regional politics and security challenges -- Instability in the Arab world and India's response -- Arab unrest and India's multilateralism -- Arab unrest and political challenges for India -- The ISIS challenge for India -- India, Arab spring and the non-Arabs -- Conclusions.
1. Democratization processes in the Middle East and the Arab world / Gabriel Ben-Dor -- 2. The emerging Middle East balance of power / Hillel Frisch -- 3. The United States and the Arab Spring / Eytan Gilboa -- 4. The Arab Spring and Palestinian apathy / Alexander Bligh -- 5. The challenge of terrorism / Boaz Ganor -- 6. The economic implications of the Arab Spring / Gil Feiler -- 7. The Arab Spring and the linkage between Israel's domestic and foreign policies / Shmuel Sandler -- 8. The strategic implications for Israel / Efraim Inbar.