Product Description

The oil rich monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula are frequently dismissed as having no democratic systems compared to most other regions of the world. Indeed, the United States justified its action in Iraq by proclaiming that democracy and freedom must be adopted both in Iraq and throughout the wider Middle East, in order to counter the conditions which breed international terrorism. It has been argued that the countries of the Arabian Peninsula need to provide a system of democratic representation that fully takes into account their own history and culture. This raises many questions. Can their firmly established tradition of rule provide the basis for the evolution of an Arab form of constitutional monarchy? Should the West be seeking to encourage national indigenous evolution rather than working to impose Western systems? What are the risks of change and what has been achieved so far? Through articles by eminent academics and government officials, this book addresses these issues and examines the drivers, progress and challenges for future change in this vitally strategic area of the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #854934 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 309 pages

Review
This is a valuable collection of papers, mostly by British and Arab scholars, on recent "reform in Arabian Peninsula monarchies". The emphasis is mostly on political changes, but with some treatment of economic matters also. ... While the authors that editors Ehteshami and Wright have selected do not stray far from establishment perspectives on these Western client autocracies and tend to portray them favourably, they make no bones about the fact that what has occurred during recent years is not democratization but only a kind of liberalization (perhaps cosmetic) that leaves royal power intact and arguably even strengthened. A careful reading sheds light on the reality that, US rhetoric about promoting democracy notwithstanding, real democratization would undermine these states' role as allies. The book is clearly written and will be useful to a wide variety of readers. ... Recommended. --Choice, September 2008, Vol. 46 No. 01

About the Author
Professor Anoushivaran Ehteshami is Head of the School of Government and International Affairs and Professor of International Relations at the University of Durham. Dr Steven Wright is currently Assistant Professor in International Affairs at Qatar University.