Democracy and Authoritarianism in the Arab World

Democracy and Authoritarianism in the Arab World
Author: Nicola Christine Pratt
Publisher:
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2007
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

Representing a departure from studies of Middle East politics and democratisation, this book employs theories and concepts to the study of democracy and authoritarianism in the Arab world. It examines the role of non-state actors, civil society, in the maintenance of or resistance to the discourse that underpins authoritarian politics.

Debating Arab Authoritarianism

Debating Arab Authoritarianism
Author: Oliver Schlumberger
Publisher:
Total Pages: 368
Release: 2007-11-20
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

Examines how political rule in Arab countries is effectuated, organized, and executed, and how authoritarianism works in practice and how it can be grasped conceptually.

Beyond the Arab Spring

Beyond the Arab Spring
Author: Rex Brynen
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2012
Genre: Arab countries
ISBN: 9781588268532

For years the authoritarian regimes of the Arab world displayed remarkable persistence. Then, beginning in December 2010, much of the region underwent rapid and remarkable political change. This volume explores the precursors, nature, and trajectory of the dynamics unleashed by the Arab Spring.

The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa

The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa
Author: Stephen J. King
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2009-10-28
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0253004004

Stephen J. King considers the reasons that international and domestic efforts toward democratization have failed to take hold in the Arab world. Focusing on Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Algeria, he suggests that a complex set of variables characterizes authoritarian rule and helps to explain both its dynamism and its persistence. King addresses, but moves beyond, how religion and the strongly patriarchal culture influence state structure, policy configuration, ruling coalitions, and legitimization and privatization strategies. He shows how the transformation of authoritarianism has taken place amid shifting social relations and political institutions and how these changes have affected the lives of millions. Ultimately, King's forward-thinking analysis offers a way to enhance the prospects for democracy in the Middle East and North Africa.

Authoritarian Elections and Opposition Groups in the Arab World

Authoritarian Elections and Opposition Groups in the Arab World
Author: Gail J. Buttorff
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2018-12-13
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 331992186X

This book examines how opposition groups respond to the dilemma posed by authoritarian elections in the Arab World, with specific focus on Jordan and Algeria. While scholars have investigated critical questions such as why authoritarian rulers would hold elections and whether such elections lead to further political liberalization, there has been comparatively little work on the strategies adopted by opposition groups during authoritarian elections. Nevertheless, we know their strategic choices can have important implications for the legitimacy of the electoral process, reform, democratization, and post-election conflicts. This project fills in an important gap in our understanding of opposition politics under authoritarianism by offering an explanation for the range of strategies adopted by opposition groups in the face of contentious elections in the Arab World.

The Arab Spring

The Arab Spring
Author: Jason Brownlee
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 353
Release: 2015
Genre: History
ISBN: 0199660069

Several years after the Arab Spring began, democracy remains elusive in the Middle East. While Tunisia has made progress towards democracy, other countries that overthrew their rulers - Egypt, Yemen, and Libya - remain in authoritarianism and instability. This volume provides a foundational exploration of the Arab Spring's successes and failures.

The Lure of Authoritarianism

The Lure of Authoritarianism
Author: Stephen J. King
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Total Pages: 365
Release: 2019-04-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 0253040892

The works collected in The Lure of Authoritarianism consider the normative appeal of authoritarianism in light of the 2011 popular uprisings in the Middle East. Despite what seemed to be a popular revolution in favor of more democratic politics, there has instead been a slide back toward authoritarian regimes that merely gesture toward notions of democracy. In the chaos that followed the Arab Spring, societies were lured by the prospect of strong leaders with firm guiding hands. The shift toward normalizing these regimes seems sudden, but the works collected in this volume document a gradual shift toward support for authoritarianism over democracy that stretches back decades in North Africa. Contributors consider the ideological, socioeconomic, and security-based justifications of authoritarianism as well as the surprising and vigorous reestablishment of authoritarianism in these regions. With careful attention to local variations and differences in political strategies, the volume provides a nuanced and sweeping consideration of the changes in the Middle East in the past and what they mean for the future.

Authoritarianism Goes Global

Authoritarianism Goes Global
Author: Larry Diamond
Publisher: JHU Press
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2016-04-15
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 142141998X

With democracy in decline, authoritarian governments are staging a comeback around the world. Over the past decade, illiberal powers have become emboldened and gained influence within the global arena. Leading authoritarian countries—including China, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela—have developed new tools and strategies to contain the spread of democracy and challenge the liberal international political order. Meanwhile, the advanced democracies have retreated, failing to respond to the threat posed by the authoritarians. As undemocratic regimes become more assertive, they are working together to repress civil society while tightening their grip on cyberspace and expanding their reach in international media. These political changes have fostered the emergence of new counternorms—such as the authoritarian subversion of credible election monitoring—that threaten to further erode the global standing of liberal democracy. In Authoritarianism Goes Global, a distinguished group of contributors present fresh insights on the complicated issues surrounding the authoritarian resurgence and the implications of these systemic shifts for the international order. This collection of essays is critical for advancing our understanding of the emerging challenges to democratic development. Contributors: Anne Applebaum, Anne-Marie Brady, Alexander Cooley, Javier Corrales, Ron Deibert, Larry Diamond, Patrick Merloe, Abbas Milani, Andrew Nathan, Marc F. Plattner, Peter Pomerantsev, Douglas Rutzen, Lilia Shevtsova, Alex Vatanka, Christopher Walker, and Frederic Wehrey