Reform in the Middle East Oil Monarchies, Ithaca Press, Editors: Anoushiravan Ehteshami , Steven Wright, ISBN: 9780863723230, New Edition, Feb 2012
Oil – essential to the economy of the Middle East – is central to current unrest in the region, and is therefore inextricably linked to any consideration of wider political reform.
This collection of articles features contributions by eminent academics and government officials, through which it addresses issues surrounding reform specifically in the oil-rich countries and states of the Arabian Peninsula.
These oil-rich monarchies are frequently dismissed as having no democratic systems compared to most other regions of the world. However, recent consideration has shown that these countries and states are perhaps not as autocratic as they have traditionally been perceived to be.
The book places issues of reform within a contemporary context, as it examines in depth the complexities of issues such as whether the West should be seeking to support each country’s own national indigenous evolution, and the development of democratic systems that fully assimilate their own history and culture, rather than seeking to impose a more westernised approach which may be inappropriate to them.
The book then moves on to discuss reform within the Arab Peninsula, and looks at the issues and needs specific to each country or state, in order for reform to be achieved successfully.
The final part of the book is devoted to consideration of reform of the Middle East oil monarchies within the wider geopolitical and international context; discussion focuses on US relationships with the Arab Peninsula in the light of the War on Terror and the ways in which political reform within the countries and states in question can be promoted effectively in order to counter the root causes of Islamic terrorism.
About the editors
Professor Anoushiravan Ehteshami is Head of the School of government and International Affairs and Professor of International Relations at the University of Durham.
Dr Stephen Wright is currently Assistant Professor in International Affairs at Qatar University
Selected list of contributors: His Excellency Sayyid Badr bin Sa’ud Al-Busaidi; Sir Donald Hawley KCMG, MBE; Professor Emma Murphy; Professor Gerd Nonneman; Professor Mohammad Al Rumaihi; The Rt Hon. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean; Dr. Mahjoob Zweiri.
Read more about the book here: Reform in the Middle East Oil Monarchies
Table of Contents
Foreword: Sir Donald Hawley
Contributors
Part 1: Reform Issues in Contemporary Perspective
1. Political Reform in the Gulf Monarchies: From Liberalization to Democratization? A Comparative Perspective / Gerd Nonneman
2. Reform in the Arabian Peninsula World / The Rt Hon. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
3. Patterns of Democratic Deficit: Is it Islam? / Bahgat Korany
Part2: Reform in the Arabian Peninsula
4. Political Reform in Bahrain: The Turning Tide / Neil Quilliam
5. Deconstructing Before Building: Perspectives on Democracy in Qatar / Ahmed Abdelkareem Saif
6. Oman’s Approach to Development / His Excellency Sayyid Badr bin Sa’ud Al-Busaidi
7. Economic Governance and Reform in Saudi Arabia / Rodney Wilson
8. The Impact of Economic Reform on Dubai / Christopher M Davidson
9. ICT and the Gulf Arab States: A Force for Democracy? / Emma Murphy
lO. The Future of Reform in the Societies of the GCC Countries / Mohammad Al Rumaihi
Part3: Reform in a Geopolitical and Intemational Context
11. US Foreign Policy and the Changed Definition of Gulf Security / Steven M Wright
12. Synergies in Reform: Case Studies of Saudi Arabia and Iran / Mahjoob Zweiri
Bibliography
Index
Read more about the book here: Reform in the Middle East Oil Monarchies
