scholarly journals Understanding the root causes of the conflict in Yemen

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-20
Author(s):  
Hani Albasoos ◽  
Buthaina Al Hinai
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Peace Process ◽  
The Other ◽  
Humanitarian Crisis ◽  
Trace Back ◽  
Proxy War ◽  
The Media ◽  
Number Of Parties ◽  
The Arab Spring

Following the Arab Spring in 2011, Yemen’s devastating conflicts have deepened even further, leading the country to be the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Despite the international community's multiple attempts to resolve this conflict, the conflict seems to have reached a stalemate. To make matters worse, resolving the conflict is made difficult by the large number of parties involved, internally and externally, and by the complex, dual and fluid nature of the relationships they share. Although the media and international community's focus is directed towards the binary conflict between the Hadi government and Saudi Arabia on one side and Iran and the Houthis on the other, the conflict is greatly multifaceted and far from being binary. This paper critically analyzes and explores other participating actors to comprehend the root causes of the conflict entirely. Although this conflict has been advertised as a proxy war, while others trace back the motivation to sectarianism, this paper argues how this analysis can be misleading and hindering the peace process.

scholarly journals Arab Saudi dan Iran: Kontestasi Ideologi dan Dampaknya di Kawasan Timur Tengah Pasca The Arab Spring

POLITEA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Ihsan Hamid ◽  
Ozi Setiadi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
East Region ◽  
Islamic Religion ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Middle East Region

<p class="06IsiAbstrak">Saudi Arabia and Iran: Ideological Contest and Its Impact in the Middle East Region after The Arab Spring. Tensions surround the Middle East region, especially between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Sunni-Shia ideological factor contributed to the conflict in the region and also attracted these two countries. This research will answer the question how is the form of contestation of Sunni-Shia ideology represented by Saudi Arabia with Iran in the Middle East? What are the factors and impacts of the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran on countries in the region after the Arab Spring? The historical approach (historical analysis) was chosen to explain the two research questions above, using qualitative methods. Saudi Arabia and Iran represent both a Sunni-Shia ideological contestation, both of which try to support each other's ruling government, as well as conflicting oppositions based on ideological backgrounds. This support is carried out in the form of military assistance, weapons, or direct involvement which is marked by various statements that appear in the media. The disharmony of Saudi Arabia and Iran is driven by several factors, namely first, the Sunni-Shia ideological struggle between the two. Second, the claim to be the holder of the Islamic religion in each version. And third, oil. While the impact of this is political instability in the Middle East region after the Arab Spring, to the "cold war" involving Saudi Arabia and Iran.             </p><p class="05Abstrak">.</p>

scholarly journals The Fight for Succession in Saudi Arabia

2019 ◽  
pp. 62-70
Author(s):  
A. Fedorchenko
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
The Other ◽  
Third Generation ◽  
Social Conflicts ◽  
Economic Problems ◽  
The Third ◽  
Political Modernization ◽  
Saudi Family ◽  
The Arab Spring

The article is devoted to the study of the succession problem in Saudi Arabia. Despite the fact that the Arabian monarchies so far remain outside the zone of the “Arab spring”, domestic political and social conflicts, economic problems are escalated here hiding behind the apparent tranquility. Internal political modernization is closely connected with the change of generations in the top leadership. The country is on the verge of changing the succession system that has existed for many decades, in which power passed from one to the other son of the founder of the Saudi state, King Ibn Saud. Today, when there are almost no real candidates for the throne among this group of royal relatives, the third generation of the Saudi family is entering the struggle for power. The influence of the “Khashoggi case” on the course of the struggle for power is analyzed. The forecast part examines the prospects for reforming of Saudi society, the development of partnerships between Russia and the Kingdom.

Critical International Relations Theories and the Study of Arab Uprisings: A Critique

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-150
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. Abozaid
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Critical Theory ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
The Other ◽  
Arab Uprisings ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
Western Perspective

This study articulates that most of the critical theorists are still strikingly neglecting the study of the Arab Uprising(s) adequately. After almost a decade of the eruption of the so-called Arab Uprisings, the study claims that the volume of scholarly engaging of dominate Western International Relations (IR) theories with such unprecedented events is still substantially unpretentious. Likewise, and most importantly, the study also indicates that most of these theories, including the critical theory of IR (both Frankfurt and Habermasian versions), have discussed, engaged, analysed, and interpreted the Arab Spring (a term usually perceived to be orientalist, troubling, totally inappropriate and passive phenomenon) indicate a strong and durable egoistic Western perspective that emphasis on the preservation of the status quo and ensure the interests of Western and neoliberal elites, and the robustness of counter-revolutionary regimes. On the other hand, the writings and scholarships that reflexively engaged and represent the authentic Arab views, interests, and prospects were clearly demonstrating a strong and durable scarce, if not entirely missing. Keywords: International Relations, Critical Theory, Postcolonial, Arab Uprising(s), Middle East, Revolutions.

scholarly journals The Struggle for Leadership of the Qatari-Turkish Alliance in Somalia

2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 187-200
Author(s):  
T. R. Khayrullin
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Federal Republic ◽  
Presidential Elections ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Central Government ◽  
The Other ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Regional Leadership ◽  
Autonomous Regions ◽  
The Arab Spring

The article examines the struggle of the Qatari- Turkish alliance for regional leadership in the Federal Republic of Somalia. The analysis revealed that the foreign policy activity of Turkey and Qatar in Somalia began during the events of the Arab Spring. Ankara and Doha used diplomatic, military and fi nancial instruments to strengthen their infl uence in the country. Moreover, Qatari money played an important role in promoting pro-qatari candidates to power during the 2012 and 2017 presidential elections. However, the eff orts of the Turkish- Qatari alliance to strengthen its position in Somalia have clashed with the interests of the Saudi- Emirati bloc seeking regional dominance. On the other hand, the inability to close the main cooperation with the central government in Somalia forced the UAE to support such autonomous regions as Somaliland, thereby intensifying the destabilization processes in the country.

scholarly journals GCC Media Roles during the 2011 Arab Spring: An Analytical and Critical Overview

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah K. Al-Kindi
Keyword(s):  
Arab Spring ◽  
Main Question ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
The Public ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
The Media ◽  
Contextual Characteristics ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
Critical Overview

The central aim of this paper is to critically analyze the role of the media during public protests that occurred in the GCC countries during 2011. These protests were part of what came to be called the “Arab Spring”, which started in late 2010. Particular focus will be on how the Arab Spring resulted in fundamental changes and how various institutions played roles in this. The study draws on Gulf region literature about the Arab Spring in order to offer a critical and informed overview on the topic under discussion. The paper’s main question is: what are the main roles played by the GCC media (old/new) during the public protests of 2011? The paper argues that the role of the media in the 2011 protests, while important, was rather limited and affected by the unique contextual characteristics of the media environment in the GCC countries. 

In the name of the national interests: Foreign policy of Saudi Arabia after the Arab Spring

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 131-161
Author(s):  
G. G. Kosach
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Arab World ◽  
The United States ◽  
Strategic Partnership ◽  
National Interests ◽  
The One ◽  
The Arab Spring

The paper examines the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy in the context of wider changes in the Middle East and in the Arab world triggered by the Arab Spring. The author argues that during this decade the Kingdom’s foreign policy has witnessed a fundamental transformation: the very essence of the Saudi foreign policy course has changed signifi cantly as the political es-tablishment has substantially revised its approaches to the country’s role in the region and in the world. Before 2011, Saudi Arabia — the land of the ‘Two Holy Mosques’ — positioned itself as a representative of the international Muslim community and in pursuing its foreign policy relied primarily on the religious authority and fi nancial capabilities. However, according to Saudi Arabia’s leaders, the Arab Spring has plunged the region into chaos and has bolstered the infl uence of various extremist groups and movements, which required a signifi cant adjustment of traditional political approaches. Saudi Arabia, more explicit than ever before, has declared itself as a nation state, as a regional leader possessing its own interests beyond the abstract ‘Muslim Ummah’. However, the author stresses that these new political ambitions do not imply a complete break with the previous practice. For example, the containment of Iran not only remains the cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy, but has become even more severe. The paper shows that it is this opposition to Iran, which is now justifi ed on the basis of protecting the national interests, that predetermines the nature and the specifi c content of contemporary Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy including interaction with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), approaches towards the solution of the Israeli-Palestinian confl ict, combating terrorism, and relations with the United States. In that regard, the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy has, on the one hand, opened up new opportunities for strengthening the Kingdom’s interaction with Israel, but, at the same time, has increased tensions within the framework of strategic partnership with the United States. The author concludes that currently Saudi Arabia is facing a challenge of diversifying its foreign policy in order to increase its international profi le and political subjectivity.

Far More Dangerous Times

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Randa Nucho
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
State Actors ◽  
The Arab Spring

This concluding chapter begins by summarizing the arguments in the preceding chapters. It then attempts to contextualize the present discourse about the Shi'a versus Sunni conflict within the region in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011. It describes a “new sectarianism,” characterized by state actors, particularly in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, who “make decisions on the basis of a sectarian assessment of politics,” whereby Iran is presented as a Shi'a rival. The fact that these same state actors are opposed to Sunni Islamist groups makes it clear that the mobilization of sectarian rhetoric is, at least in some instances, a cynical tactic of scapegoating.

Parties and party system change

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lise Storm
Keyword(s):  
Party System ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
System Change ◽  
New Parties ◽  
Mena Countries ◽  
Coalition Structures ◽  
Measure Change ◽  
Effective Number Of Parties ◽  
Number Of Parties ◽  
The Arab Spring

This chapter examines parties and party system change across the MENA countries since December 2010. The discussion begins with a brief overview of party systems in the region on the eve of the Arab Spring, thereby providing a quick introduction to the selected cases as well as a benchmark against which to measure change. Party system change is determined via indicators such as the effective number of parties, party system fragmentation, electoral volatility and the entry of new parties into the system. The analysis of the indicators of party system change is coupled with a discussion of empirical data on the political environment during and in the immediate aftermath of the elections, including issues such as regime classification, rotation of power, coalition structures, prohibited parties, and societal cleavages. The author explains how - despite the fact that some old regimes fell and elections were held - the traditionally dominant or hegemonic political parties stayed preeminent in a number of MENA countries. Finally, this chapter shows what party system change tells us about the prospects for democracy some five years after the outbreak of the Arab Spring.

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