Constructing International Relations In The Arab World

This book explores the emergence of an anarchic states-system in the twentieth-century Arab world. Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Arab nationalist movements first considered establishing a unified regional arrangement to take the empire's place and present a common front to outside powers. But over time different Arab leaderships abandoned this project and instead adopted policies characteristic of self-interested, territorially limited states. In his explanation of this phenomenon, the author shifts attention away from older debates about the origins and development of Arab nationalism and analyzes instead how different nationalist leaderships changed the ways that they carried on diplomatic and strategic relations. He situates this shift in the context of influential sociological theories of state formation, while showing how labor movements and other forms of popular mobilization shaped the origins of the regional states-system.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of Middle East international politics in the light of international relations theory. It assesses the impact of international penetration, including the historic formation of the regional state system, the continued role of external great powers, and the incorporation of the region into the international capitalist market. It examines the region’s distinctive dialect between trans-state identities, Arabism and Islam, and the consolidation of a sovereign state system. It looks at the consequences of state formation for the ability of state elites to manage the external and domestic arenas in which they must operate; and it analyzes the impact of the foreign policy process in individual states.

"In few of its postwar policies has the United States been more ill at ease than in dealing with the Arab world...For two decades it has felt its way through the recurrent crises of the area, seldom entirely failing in its objectives, yet equally seldom quite reaching them. Bold initiative and sustained consistency have not been the hallmark of its approach." With these words John S. Badeau , who served as United States Ambassador to Egypt from 1961 to 1964, begins his reassessment of American policies in the Middle East. In setting forth the American approach to the area, Mr. Badeau carefully defines United States interests, primary and subsidiary. He evaluates the new forces of nationalism, non-alignment, and modernization in the Arab world, as well as national and personal rivalries, the tensions between the radical and conservative states, the residual onus of European colonialism, and the Soviet presence. In evaluating the instrumentalities and guidelines for the exercise of American foreign policy in the Middle East, Mr. Badeau also spells out the inevitable dilemmas that the United States must face. A case study of American diplomacy in Yemen illustrates both the opportunities for and the constraints on policy. He concludes that a reappraisal of United States policy in the area is in order, urging that our approach take into consideration not only our true interests and capabilities in the Middle East, but also the changing political realities of the Arab world.

This comprehensive guide captures important trends in international relations (IR) pedagogy, paying particular attention to innovations in active learning and student engagement for the contemporary International Relations IR classroom.

The Arab world has witnessed major challenges and transformations, culturally, politically and economically. At the same time, globalization is driving significant and rapid shifts in its external environment, as a new vision emerges for the distribution of roles between major powers. In the aftermath of what became known in the media as the Arab Spring revolutions, several Arab countries entered a new phase in their history. The so-called Arab Spring brought with it an existential dilemma over its failure to solve the problems of the societies where it wreaked havoc. It led to the breakdown of powerful regimes, as organizations sought to gain power by using religious rhetoric and populism to gain support and legitimacy. These movements drove their countries, and the region, into a dark period of chaos and unrest. The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), as part of its efforts to examine regional issues through scholarly discussion and debate, held a conference titled ‘The Challenges of Nation Building in Arab Countries that have Recently Witnessed Change’, from October 6 to 7, 2015, in collaboration with the University of Maine. In this highly relevant book we present a number of research papers delivered at that conference by leading thinkers in the field. In ‘Reshaping International Relations in the Region and the Rise of the GCC States’, Dr. Maryam Sultan Lootah examines how the so-called Arab Spring affected regional and international relations. She argues that the uprisings disrupted regional relations, alliances and opportunities, as well as impacting neighboring countries and their policies towards the region. Dr. Lootah highlights the new role of GCC States in tackling regional developments, and the changes in international policy toward the region as a result of the Arab Spring. Dr. Abdul Hamid Al-Ansari examines ‘Rewriting the Social Contract in the Arab World’, considering the relation between the ruler and the ruled. He argues this relationship should be reconstituted to ensure the stability and development of the region’s countries and people. Rewriting the social contract requires an analytical reading of the changes resulting from the so-called Arab Spring revolutions, which cleared the way for extremist militias and ideological organizations to undermine civil foundations. The book also includes the work of Prof. Shamlan Yousef Al-Issa, who points to the importance of national reconciliation to overcome crises in a number of Arab countries. In ‘National Reconciliation and its Importance in Achieving Stability in the Arab Spring Countries’, Prof. Al-Issa makes the case that weak political culture in Arab countries, the prevalence of a revenge mentality among opposing parties, complex ethnic, religious, sectarian, nationalistic, linguistic and provincial loyalties, and a failure to manage diversity, has given way to the emergence of extremist, religious and tribal movements. In ‘Political Requirements for Achieving Stability in Syria, Yemen and Libya’, Prof. Kenneth MacLean Hillas examines the ongoing military conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen, drawing similarities and differences between them. Prof. Hillas looks at the legitimacy crisis at the heart of these countries’ regimes and tries to forecast future transformations in light of the complicated internal conflicts in each country. Finally, in ‘The Political Economy of State Building and Nation Building in the Arab World’, Dr. Bahgat Korany analyzes the correlation between state building and nation building in Yemen, Libya and Syria. Dr. Korany argues that the road to success in nation building is linked to success in state building. If state building fails, all nation-building efforts are bound to fail. He explains that the crisis of the Arab state is a structural one and that the so-called Arab Spring did not cause the crisis, but rather exposed and aggravated it. In publishing this book, the ECSSR seeks to promote scholarly discussion on the Arab state, to suggest formulas for dealing with its problems, providing methodological and theoretical tools to positively contribute to the process of rebuilding. The ECSSR also seeks to focus the attention of politicians, strategic theorists and intellectuals on the importance of forecasting the post-military conflict phase of Arab countries that have witnessed change, in order to ensure security and peace for all people of the Arab world.

A comprehensive and timely survey of Middle Eastern international relations, Tareq Ismael provides in-depth analysis of the interrelated dimensions of confrontation that have entangled almost every aspect of life in the region, transforming it into a 'penetrated political system'. Essential for readers interested in the Middle East, international relations, politics, history and public policy.

One of the major internationally recognised works on the international politics of the Middle East, this book systematically combines international relations theory and Middle East case studies to provide a macro overview of the international relations of the region. The book has been widely used at both undergraduate levels, Masters degree and PhD levels. In providing a unique interpretation of Middle East North Africa (MENA) international politics, it will also be valuable for scholars of the region. The book provide readers with both theoretical and concrete information, with theoretically-framed major topics, liberally illustrated with case study material on key dimensions of regional politics. Topics include the place of the Middle East in the wider global system; the role of Arabism and Islam in regional politics; the impact of state formation in the region on its international relations; comparative foreign policy making looking at pivotal country cases, including Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Turkey; major regional wars and efforts at order building; the role of US hegemony and the two Iraq wars; and the impact of the Arab Uprising on regional politics.