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Arab Spring and the Issue of Democracy: Where Does Middle Eastern Studies Stand?
Abstract
This paper investigates the academic narratives within Middle Eastern studies specifically on the issue of democratic transition in the region. By scrutinizing scholarship on the region from 1989 until 2017 using interpretative content analysis, the paper seeks to discern where, in point of actual fact, the scholarly community stands on the issue of democracy in the region. In so doing, he sheds light on key concerns facing the field, particularly the putative role of Islamists in furthering (or impeding) democratization efforts, on the emphasis on foreign intervention and assistance as a precursor to Middle East democracy, and other crucial paradigms and methodological frameworks.
Discipline
Political Science
Geographic Area
All Middle East
Sub Area
19th-21st Centuries