The Road towards Democratic Consolidation in the Middle East

Larry Diamond's presentation explores the question of why there are no Arab democracies in the Middle East and North Africa. He shows us the relatively stagnant levels of democratic freedoms that have been the norm in the region for the past several decades. Diamond gives us a multitude of potential explanations for the absence of a sustainable democracy.

Accustomed to stereotypical depictions, Westerners are told that Middle Eastern women are passive, weak, and always veiled. It is often assumed that the severe conditions in Saudi Arabia—where women are not even allowed to drive cars—represent the norm for women throughout the Middle East and in the larger Muslim world. In reality, Saudi Arabia’s versions of both Islam and sexism are rather unique in their severities, although the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan is now emulating the sexist Saudi model. Women enjoy political and social rights in many Muslim countries, and Egypt has recently granted women the right to divorce their husbands. In Tunisia, abortion is legal, and polygamy is prohibited. Women have served as ministers in the Syrian, Jordanian, Egyptian, Iraqi, and Tunisian governments, and as Vice President in Iran.

Yet inequalities may not be the case for women in more westernized nations as they receive greater freedom (60). This is where the great diversity between modernist Muslim’s and conservative Muslim’s come in. Modernist Muslims argue genuine Islam is compatible with modern west society and political ideas such as democracy and the equality of women. The views of women in society are supported by revelations of the prophet Mohammed. On the other hand we have conservative Muslims where they believe in

In middle eastern society Many may claim that the women in the middle east are being oppressed but the same may be said about women living in the west. Until quite recently in time women here in the United States received an equal status to men. Whereas these traditions and

We have seen waves of democratization continue to come and go and the most recent one that was successful in many countries was in the 70’s and the 80’s. Democratization was occurring all over Latin America, in Asia-Pacific countries such as Taiwan, the Philippines, Korea, and in Eastern Europe after the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, we did see an attempt to democratize the Middle East and North Africa through the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring has affected countless countries including Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Syria, and even Saudi Arabia, however, there have been different effects and outcomes in these countries with only one becoming a constitutional democracy and others having been thrown into a civil war that continues to

Despite the democratization movements in Latin America and Eastern Europe in 1980s and 90s, Middle Eastern authoritarian regimes proved to be resilient. Despite the recent Arab Spring protests, most Middle Eastern nations live under authoritarian regimes. How do these authoritarian regimes survive for so long? What are the factors that contribute to their longevity?

In recent months we have seen political unrest in Tunisia, Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries. In each of these countries the political leadership had amassed immense power and was using these powers to restrain and limit their countrymen from development. The ruling class clearly had formed a political structure with a clear agenda to inhibit the growth of their fellow citizens. In the past few decades, people from these countries have endured structural violence due to political hegemony. Exposure to western media has made the people realize the advantage of distributed power. Hence these countries are witnessing a surge of protest, with people fighting against the system. Parsons emphasizes on the distribution of political power and its effects throughout his

The diversities within North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia (cultural, religious, political, etc.) play a crucial part in the status of women and the key features of gender roles in these particular geographic regions. The Middle East and North Africa share commonalities through Arabic and Islamic culture. Establishing equalities for women amongst the current social and political changes of Middle Eastern and North African societies stands as a difficult obstacle to overcome, but in spite of this, women’s rights efforts are still being made. While Islamic culture is dominant in Southeast Asia, the culture of Southeast Asian nations is diverse. Islam and gender in Southeast Asia have contributed to the continuing debate over Islam, feminism, and gender rights in the region. The cultures of North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia are male dominated, but this cultural dominance might not sustain in the future. This essay will compare and contrast the current status of women and the key features of gender roles in North Africa and the Middle East with those of Southwest Asia. Examples will also be provided to justify any arguments that are made.

Iran is a country of astounding history, somehow downgraded to a country of stereotypes. While many have knowledge of Iran only in terms of the “Axis of Evil” and recent claims of it being unabashedly anti-Western and anti-democracy, Iran has actually been well on its way to democracy. In this paper, I will argue that Iran is likely to democratize because of growing societal unrest, economic necessity, and general instability in its existing form.

Although the people’s voice is being heard and changes are being made, blood flows down the streets as people are being killed violently everyday. Many people believe it would have been more beneficial if the Middle East had completely avoid the Arab Spring or at least have gone a more passive road. Through the history of the region, leaders of Arab countries have anchored their position to later become rich and

Consequently, recent events of unrests in Arab countries, e.g. Egypt, Libya, Iran and Syria appeared to be the willpower of people for self-determination and the exclusion of authoritarian governments led by radical and harsh dictators.

In the debate for democracy in the middle east, many scholars suggest that Islamists are the main obstacle to overcome. By the last decade, Islamist parties and candidates have engaged in elections throughout in about eight Arab countries with almost modest results. Thus, Islamist may have a heavy degree of support among most of the consitunets who agree with anti-regime sentiments. At the same time, ruling elites also give overwhelming support to maintain security and other privileges. There are regimes in which elites claim Islam as a basis for the regime while excluding all other islamist groups from political participation. For Instance, The king in Saudi Arabi is the leader, the imam of the Saudi-Wahabi community, and subordinate only to the shari’a. This is an institutional challenge that these regions face, and need to comprehend in order to have a smooth democratic transition. Some islamist groups still persist, with making domestic conflict within society, like the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Middle East countries have a long standing reputation for the oppressing the minority group within their regions. They have governed their citizens through a tyrannical government, which forbids their citizens with any basic human rights, such as political freedoms of expression, free speech to protest, religious freedom and due process of the law. According to Arab Human Development Report, the Arab countries have received the lowest freedom ranking score. Among the lowest on these ranking score was on the voice and accountability, which measure the various aspects of the political process, civil liberties, political rights and independence of the media

The Arab Spring has been a life changing phenomena, not only for the people who are attempting to overthrow their governments but for political scientists everywhere. The events originating in the North African country of Tunisia have led to the snowballing of several other Middle Eastern, predominantly Muslim, nation states. The figurative breaking point might have finally been reached as the oppressed peoples of the Middle East have risen up to overthrow long-standing dictatorial governments in hopes of revolutionary change; change that is subject to the will of the people.

Over the last century, the Middle East has been the location of ethnic rivalry, political and economic instability, religious conflict, territorial dispute and war. Much of this tension in the Middle East comes from the various interpretations of Islam and how the religion should be applied to politics and society. Over the last ten years, the United States and their allies have pushed to promote democracy in the Middle East. However, they too have many obstacles they must overcome. They face problems such as the compatibility of Islamic law and democracy, the issue of women’s rights, and there is always the problem of how to go about implementing a democratic reform in these countries. Many initially would assume that it is only the