What is the argument for “Arab nationalism”? What factors have worked against political integration in the MENA region? Could you envision a scenario where a supra-national entity like the European Union develops in the MENA region? Why/why not?
Richards and Waterbury note that Arab Nationalism was not an antidote to Middle Class Woes and Political Instability in the Arab World. But clearly, it was meant to be. The problem with Arab Nationalism is that it was largely superficial. Government officials conveniently co-opted the larger Arab ethnic identity as a way to organize political alliances and structures in the region, LARGELY influenced off the models of their colonial predecessors.
With the failures of the economies of Egypt and Algeria, Islamic groups started regaining popularity in North Africa. In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, Arab Nationalism could not stand the test of the political changes undergoing in the Middle East. The rising geopolitical role of Turkey and Iran also highlighted the various non-Arab ethnic groups that could "compete with the big boys". The Israel-Palestine debacle has yet to be solved. After September 11th, political focus shifted to Iraq and Afghanistan, two geographically important, but not usually politically significant countries for stability in the general Asia military zone. Thus, with a consequent rise in Muslim Panic in the Western psyche, Pan-Islamism has once again gained the status as the MAIN identifier of the peoples of the Middle East. Linguistically, groups in Morocco and Turkey are not connected, and they have different political systems (monarchy vs democracy), in fact, Turkey is still eyeing European ambitions for greater stability and economic opportunities. BUT, Islam has resurged in University groups, public forums, internet discussions, and both groups can identify as Muslim without concern about how that aspect of their identity would be judged. Pan-Islamism is almost a more genuine of self-identification, and easier/more inclusive to different ethnic and linguistic groups (but harmful to minority religious groups).
In the Middle East, various ethnic and religious groups exist, gender and class and education levels are anything but equal, but the general identity of Muslim for the VAST majority of Middle Easterners has contributed to facilitating and dispersing Islamic ideologies. As varied as these ideologies are, they have certainly overpowered Pan-Arabism as a viable option for political elites to modernize the structures of their governments.
Richards and Waterbury note that Arab Nationalism was not an antidote to Middle Class Woes and Political Instability in the Arab World. But clearly, it was meant to be. The problem with Arab Nationalism is that it was largely superficial. Government officials conveniently co-opted the larger Arab ethnic identity as a way to organize political alliances and structures in the region, LARGELY influenced off the models of their colonial predecessors.
With the failures of the economies of Egypt and Algeria, Islamic groups started regaining popularity in North Africa. In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, Arab Nationalism could not stand the test of the political changes undergoing in the Middle East. The rising geopolitical role of Turkey and Iran also highlighted the various non-Arab ethnic groups that could "compete with the big boys". The Israel-Palestine debacle has yet to be solved. After September 11th, political focus shifted to Iraq and Afghanistan, two geographically important, but not usually politically significant countries for stability in the general Asia military zone. Thus, with a consequent rise in Muslim Panic in the Western psyche, Pan-Islamism has once again gained the status as the MAIN identifier of the peoples of the Middle East. Linguistically, groups in Morocco and Turkey are not connected, and they have different political systems (monarchy vs democracy), in fact, Turkey is still eyeing European ambitions for greater stability and economic opportunities. BUT, Islam has resurged in University groups, public forums, internet discussions, and both groups can identify as Muslim without concern about how that aspect of their identity would be judged. Pan-Islamism is almost a more genuine of self-identification, and easier/more inclusive to different ethnic and linguistic groups (but harmful to minority religious groups).
In the Middle East, various ethnic and religious groups exist, gender and class and education levels are anything but equal, but the general identity of Muslim for the VAST majority of Middle Easterners has contributed to facilitating and dispersing Islamic ideologies. As varied as these ideologies are, they have certainly overpowered Pan-Arabism as a viable option for political elites to modernize the structures of their governments.
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