No region of the world has been more affected by the forces of instability and the factors of war and insecurity than has the Middle East. The area has seen more violence and conflict in the last three or four decades than all of the other world regions put together. Moreover, conflict in the area has an international significance far beyond its borders. These events and issues have also been of the greatest international and academic interest, with much study generated.
The editor’s choice of materials in this new Routledge collection is based on an effort to cover a full range of issues concerning external and internal threats to the stability of Middle Eastern states as well as the means by which they try to ensure their security both at home and abroad. The topics include military, ideological, sub-national, Islamist, and economic challenges. In geographic terms it encompasses the greater Middle East: the Arab world, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and Afghanistan.
Volume I: Regimes, Elites, and the Roots of Instability
Part 1: Overviews
1. Jonathan Spyer, ‘Failure and Longevity: The Dominant Political Order of the Middle East’, MERIA Journal, 2006, 10, 2, 121–37.
2. P. R. Kumaraswamy, ‘Who Am I? The Identity Crisis in the Middle East’, MERIA Journal, 2006, 10, 1, 63–73.
3. Barry Rubin, ‘What’s Wrong: The Arab Liberal Critique of Arab Society’, MERIA Journal, 2005, 9, 4, 72–85.
4. Elie Elhadj, ‘To Perpetuate Their Dictatorships, Arab Rulers Resort to the Islamic Creed’, MERIA Journal, 2009, 13, 4, 57–68.
5. Sean L. Yom, ‘Civil Society and Democratization in the Arab World’, MERIA Journal, 9, 4 (December 2005), 14-33
6. Hassan Hamdan al-Alkim, ‘Challenges Facing the Arab World in the Twenty-First Century: An Overview’, Contemporary Arab Affairs, 2008, 1, 3, 417–44.
7. Caroline Sevier, ‘The Costs of Relying on Aging Dictators’, Middle East Quarterly, 2008, 15, 3, 13–22.
8. P. R. Kumaraswamy, ‘The Middle East: Unbearable Status Quo Versus Unpredictable Changes’, Mediterranean Quarterly, 2006, 17, 1, 116–32.
Part 2: Case Studies of States and Stability
9. Michael Wahid Hanna, ‘The Son Also Rises: Egypt’s Looming Succession Struggle’, World Policy Journal, 2009, 26, 3, 103–14.
10. Aladdin Elaasar, ‘Is Egypt Stable?’, Middle East Quarterly, 2009, 16, 3, 69–75.
11. Eva Patricia Rakel, ‘The Political Elite in the Islamic Republic of Iran: From Khomeini to Ahmadinejad’, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, 2009, 29, 1, 105–25.
12. Grace Nasri, ‘Iran: Island of Stability or Land in Turmoil’, DOMES, 2009, 18, 1, 57–73.
13. Michael Rubin and Patrick Clawson, ‘Patterns of Discontent: Will History Repeat in Iran?’, MERIA Journal, 2006, 10, 1, 105–21.
14. Kenneth M. Pollack, ‘Iran: Three Alternative Futures’, MERIA Journal, 2006, 10, 2, 73–83.
15. Robert Looney, ‘Impediments to Stability in Iraq: The Elusive Economic Dimension’, MERIA Journal, 2008, 12, 1, 25–39.
16. Patrick Clawson, ‘Iraq’s Future: A Concept Paper’, MERIA Journal, 2006, 10, 2, 60–72.
17. Meron Medzini, ‘Israel’s Eving Security Concept’, MERIA Journal, 2010, 14, 4, 85–93.
18. Sean L. Yom and Mohammad H. Al-Momani, ‘The International Dimensions of Authoritarian Regime Stability: Jordan in the Post-Cold War Era’, Arab Studies Quarterly, 2008, 30, 1, 39–60.
19. Juan José Escobar Stemmann, ‘Jordan’s Future Challenges’, MERIA Journal, 2010, 14, 4, 47–59.
20. William Harris, ‘Crisis in the Levant: Lebanon at Risk’, Mediterranean Quarterly, 2007, 18, 2, 37–60.
21. Karim Knio, ‘Is Political Stability Sustainable in Post-Cedar Reution Lebanon?’, Mediterranean Politics, 2008, 13, 3, 445–51.
22. Mehran Kamrava, ‘Royal Factionalism and Political Liberalization in Qatar’, Middle East Journal, 2009, 63, 3, 401–21.
23. Eyal Zisser, ‘What Does the Future Hold for Syria?’, MERIA Journal, 2006, 10, 2, 84–107.
24. Shmuel Bar, ‘Bashar’s Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview’, Comparative Strategy, 2006, 25, 5, 353–445.
25. Anouar Boukhars, ‘At the Crossroads: Saudi Arabia’s Dilemmas’, Journal of Conflict Studies, 2006, 26, 1, 16–34.
Volume II: Regional Security
Part 3: General Strategic Issues
26. Gawdat Bahgat, ‘Proliferation in the Middle East’, Journal of Social, Political and Economic Studies, 2006, 31, 4, 399–414.
27. Ellen Laipson, ‘Prospects for Middle East Security-Sector Reform’, Survival, 2007, 49, 2, 99–110.
28. William Wunderle and Andre Briere, ‘Uncertain Future: A Strategic Review of the Middle East and Implications for the United States’, Comparative Strategy, 2007, 26, 3, 205–14.
29. Barry Rubin, ‘The Middle East: Well-Intentioned Conciliatory Policy Meets Reutionary Islamist Threat’, MERIA Journal, 2010, 14, 1, 12–20.
30. David Rodman, ‘Israel’s National Security Doctrine: An Introductory Overview’, MERIA Journal, 2001, 5, 3, 71–86.
31. Eyal Zisser, ‘Trends in Middle East Politics and their Implications for Israel’, Israel Affairs, 2006, 12, 4, 684–97.
32. Barry Rubin, ‘Iran: The Rise of a Regional Power’, MERIA Journal, 2006, 10, 3, 142–51.
33. Abbas William Samii, ‘A Stable Structure on Shifting Sands: Assessing the Hizbullah-Iran-Syria Relationship’, Middle East Journal, 2008, 62, 1, 32–54.
Part 4: The Iraq War
34. Christopher J. Fettweis, ‘On the Consequences of Failure in Iraq’, Survival, 2007, 49, 4, 83–98.
35. Jonathan Spyer, ‘The Impact of the Iraq War on Israel’s National Security Conception’, MERIA Journal, 2005, 9, 4, 34–47.
36. Ted Galen Carpenter and Malou Innocent, ‘The Iraq War and Iranian Power’, Survival, 2007, 49, 4, 67–82.
37. Eric V. Thompson, ‘The Iraqi Military Re-enters the Gulf Security Dynamic’, Middle East Policy, 2009, 16, 3, 28–40.
38. Kayhan Barzegar, ‘Iran’s Foreign Policy in Post-Invasion Iraq’, Middle East Policy, 2008, 15, 4, 47–85.
Part 5: Gulf Security
39. James A Russell, ‘Searching for a Post-Saddam Regional Security Architecture’, MERIA Journal, 2003, 7, 1, 23–37.
40. Daniel L. Byman and Jerrold D. Green, ‘The Enigma of Stability in the Persian Gulf Monarchies’, MERIA Journal, 1999, 3, 3, 20–37.
41. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, ‘The Evolution of Internal and External Security in the Arab Gulf States’, Middle East Policy, 2009, 16, 2, 39–58.
42. Richard L. Russell, ‘The Persian Gulf’s Collective-Security Mirage’, Middle East Policy, 2005, 12, 4, 77–88.
43. Dalia Dassa Kaye and Frederic M. Wehrey, ‘A Nuclear Iran: The Reaction of Neighbours’, Survival, 2007, 49, 2, 111–28.
44. Paul Aarts and Joris van Duijne, ‘Saudi Arabia after U.S.-Iranian Détente: Left in the Lurch?’, Middle East Policy, 2009, 16, 3, 64–78.
45. Uzi Rabi, ‘Qatar’s Relations with Israel: Challenging Arab and Gulf Norms’, Middle East Journal, 2009, 63, 3, 443–59.
Volume III: Economic and Regional Issues in Stability
Part 6: Overviews
46. Naji Abi-Aad, ‘The Middle East: Petroleum Supply Security or Political Stability’, Strategic Insights, 2008, 7, 1.
47. Gil Feiler, ‘Global Oil Trends and their Effect on the Middle East’, Israel Affairs, 2006, 12, 4, 698–714.
48. Patrick Clawson, ‘Demography in the Middle East’, MERIA Journal, 2009, 13, 1, 37–44.
49. Juliane Brach and Markus Loewe, ‘The Global Financial Crisis and the Arab World: Impact, Reactions and Consequences’, Mediterranean Politics, 2010, 15, 1, 45–71.
50. Marcus Noland and Howard Pack, ‘Arab Economies at a Tipping Point’, Middle East Policy, 2008, 15, 1, 60–9.
Part 7: Country Studies
51. Christopher Davidson, ‘Abu Dhabi’s New Economy: Oil, Investment and Domestic Development’, Middle East Policy, 2009, 16, 2, 59–79.
52. Davut Ates, ‘Economic Liberalization and Changes in Fundamentalism: The Case of Egypt’, Middle East Policy, 2005, 12, 4, 133–44.
53. Nicholas Gossen, ‘Does the Price of Watermelons Matter? Economic Performance and Political Legitimacy in the Islamic Republic of Iran’, Al Nakhlan, Fall 2007.
54. Patrick Clawson, ‘The Islamic Republic’s Economic Failure’, Middle East Quarterly, 2008, 15, 4, 15–26.
55. Arang Keshavarzian, ‘Regime Loyalty and Bazari Representation Under the Islamic Republic of Iran: Dilemmas of the Society of Islamic Coalition’, International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 2009, 41, 2, 225–46.
56. Jahangir Amuzegar, ‘Iran’s 20-Year Economic Perspective: Promises and Pitfalls’, Middle East Policy, 2009, 16, 3, 41–57.
57. Anne Marie Baylouny, ‘Militarizing Welfare: Neo-liberalism and Jordanian Policy’, Middle East Journal, 2008, 62, 2, 277–303.
58. Yair Minzli, ‘The Jordanian Regime Fights the War of Ideas’, Current Trends in Islamist Ideology, 2007, 5, 55–69.
59. Anna Borshchevskaya, ‘Sponsored Corruption and Neglected Reform in Syria’, Middle East Quarterly, 2010, 17, 3, 41–50.
60. Nimrod Raphaeli, ‘Syria’s Fragile Economy’, MERIA Journal, 2007, 11, 2, 34–51.
Part 8: Regional and Ethnic Challenges
61. Matan Chorev, ‘Iraqi Kurdistan: The Internal Dynamics and Statecraft of a Semistate’, Al Nakhlah, Fall 2007.
62. Toby Craig Jones, ‘Rebellion on the Saudi Periphery: Modernity, Marginalization, and the Shia Uprising of 1979’, International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 2006, 38, 2, 213–33.
63. Adeed Dawisha, ‘The Unraveling of Iraq: Ethnosectarian Preferences and State Performance in Historical Perspective’, Middle East Journal, 2008, 62, 2, 219–31.
64. Hashem Ahmadzadeh and Gareth Stansfield, ‘The Political, Cultural, and Military Re-Awakening of the Kurdish Nationalist Movement in Iran’, Middle East Journal, 2010, 64, 1, 11–28.
65. Aram Rafaat, ‘The Kurds in Post-Invasion Iraq: The Myth of Rebuilding the Iraqi State’, Journal of Social, Political and Economic Studies, 2008, 33, 4, 405–25.
Volume IV: Revolutionary Challenges
Part 9: Radical Islamism
66. Cameron Brown, ‘Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop: How Inevitable is an Islamist Future?’, MERIA Journal, 2006, 10, 2, 108–20.
67. Magdi Khalil, ‘Muslim Brotherhood and Political Power: Would Democracy Survive?’, MERIA Journal, 2006, 10, 1, 44–52.
68. Stacey Philbrick Yadav, ‘Understanding "What Islamists Want": Public Debate and Contestation in Lebanon and Yemen’, Middle East Journal, 2010, 64, 2, 199–214.
69. Anthony N. Celso, ‘Al Qaeda in the Maghreb: The "Newest" Front in the War on Terror’, Mediterranean Quarterly, 2008, 19, 1, 80–96.
70. Andrea Plebani, ‘Attractiveness of WMD for Radical Islamist Movements: Ideological Constraints, Black-Spots, and Failed-Weak States’, Strategic Insights, 2007, 6, 5.
71. Joseph S. Spoerl, ‘Hamas, Islam, and Israel’, Journal of Conflict Studies, 2006, 26, 1, 3–15.
72. Geoffrey Gresh, ‘Instigating Instability: Iran’s Support of Non-State Armed Groups in Iraq’, Al Nakhlah, Spring 2006.
73. Katerina Dalacoura, ‘Islamist Terrorism and the Middle East Democratic Deficit: Political Exclusion, Repression and the Causes of Extremism’, Democratization, 2006, 13, 3, 508–25.
74. Mohammed M. Hafez, ‘Jihad after Iraq: Lessons from the Arab Afghans’, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 2009, 32, 2, 73–94.
75. Lydia Khalil, ‘Middle East Youth and the Death of Arab Governments’, Al-Noor, 2009, 2, 2, 54–65.
76. Lise Storm, ‘The Persistence of Authoritarianism as a Source of Radicalization in North Africa’, International Affairs, 2009, 85, 5, 997–1013.
Part 10: Reactions and Countermeasures
77. Janine A. Clark, ‘The Conditions of Islamist Moderation: Unpacking Cross-Ideological Cooperation’, International Journal of Middle East Studies, 2006, 38, 4, 539–60.
78. Omar Ashour, ‘Lions Tamed? An Inquiry into the Causes of De-Radicalization of Armed Islamist Movements: The Case of the Egyptian Islamic Group’, Middle East Journal, 2007, 61, 4, 596–626.
79. Rohan Gunaratna and Mohamed Bin Ali, ‘De-Radicalization Initiatives in Egypt: A Preliminary Insight’, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 2009, 32, 4, 277–91.
80. Maha Abdelrahman, ‘"With the Islamists?—Sometimes. With the State?—Never!": Cooperation Between the Left and Islamists in Egypt’, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 2009, 36, 1, 37–54.
81. Holger Albrecht and Eva Wegner, ‘Autocrats and Islamists: Contenders and Containment in Egypt and Morocco’, Journal of North African Studies, 2006, 11, 2, 123–42.
Part 11 : The Struggle For and Against Democracy
82. B. Todd Spinks, Emile Sahliyeh, and Brian Calfano, ‘The Status of Democracy and Human Rights in the Middle East: Does Regime Type Make a Difference?’, Democratization, 2008, 15, 2, 321–41.
83. Raymond Hinnebusch, ‘Authoritarian Persistence, Democratization Theory and the Middle East: An Overview and Critique’, Democratization, 2006, 13, 3, 373–95.
84. Iliya Harik, ‘Democracy, "Arab Exceptionalism", and Social Science’, Middle East Journal, 2006, 60, 4, 664–84.
85. Vincent Durac and Francesco Cavatorta, ‘Strengthening Authoritarian Rule Through Democracy Promotion? Examining the Paradox of the US and EU Security Strategies: The Case of Bin Ali’s Tunisia’, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 2009, 36, 1, 3–19.
86. Ellen Lust-Okar, ‘Elections Under Authoritarianism: Preliminary Lessons from Jordan’, Democratization, 2006, 13, 3, 456–71.
87. Abdullah K. Alshayji, ‘The 2009 Kuwaiti Parliamentary Election: the Challenges and the Future of the Kuwaiti Democratic Paradigm’, Contemporary Arab Affairs, 2009, 2, 4, 602–17.
88. Louay Abdulbaki, ‘Democracy and the Reconsolidation of Authoritarian Rule in Egypt’, Contemporary Arab Affairs, 2008, 1, 3, 445–63.
89. James N. Sater, ‘Parliamentary Elections and Authoritarian Rule in Morocco’, Middle East Journal, 2009, 63, 3, 381–400.
