Middle East Critique最新文献

{"title":"Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Power Struggle over ‘Muslimness’: Reification, Securitization, and Identification","authors":"Jérémy Dieudonné","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2270346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2270346","url":null,"abstract":"AbstractThis paper questions the apparent hostility between Iran and Saudi Arabia and highlights its discursive construction. It explores the centrality of ‘Muslimness’ in both countries’ discourses and how it both shapes and is shaped by their opposition. At the same time, it seeks to uncover how these discourses construct a specific regional and ‘Muslim’ dynamic. To do so, the paper draws on theories from both security and nationalism studies. The application of the theoretical framework was carried out over the 2010-2020 period through a discourse analysis of both primary and secondary sources. It is highlighted that Saudi Arabia resorts to a sectarian perspective, merging the ‘Muslim’ category with a ‘Sunni’ one, while Iran eludes the sectarian dimension and centers on the struggle against oppression and ‘arrogant powers.’ The paper concludes that, in the struggle over the definition of ‘Muslimness,’ both parties invest this label with different, but not opposing, attributes. While Saudi speeches express a closed and exclusive ‘identity’ defined by their understanding of religion and in direct opposition to Shias, Iranian speeches express an inclusive ‘identity’ based on ‘Muslimness,’ which is largely defined by the struggle against oppression.Key Words: IdentificationIranMuslimnessSaudi ArabiaSecuritization Disclosure StatementThe authors declare there is no Complete of Interest at this study.AcknowledgementsThe author would like to thank Elena Aoun, Thierry Balzacq and Christophe Wasinski for their comments and suggestions on previous versions of this article.Notes1 See Paul Vallely (Citation2014) The Vicious Schism between Sunni and Shia Has Been Poisoning Islam for 1,400 years - and it's Getting Worse, The Independent (February 19). Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-vicious-schism-between-sunni-and-shia-has-been-poisoning-islam-for-1-400-years-and-it-s-getting-worse-9139525.html, accessed April 29, 2022; Adam Taylor (Citation2016) 5 facts about Sunnis and Shiites that Help Make Sense of the Saudi-Iran Crisis, The Washington Post (January 5). Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/01/05/5-facts-about-sunnis-and-shiites-that-help-makes-sense-of-the-saudi-iran-crisis/, accessed April 29, 2022.2 See Vali Nasr (Citation2007) The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape the Future (New York: W.W. Norton); Nathan Gonzalez (Citation2009) The Sunni-Shia Conflict: Understanding Sectarian Violence in the Middle East (Mission Viejo: Nortia Press); Helle Malmvig (Citation2014) Power, Identity and Securitization in Middle East: Regional Order after the Arab Uprisings, Mediterranean Politics, 19(1), pp. 145–148.3 Asad A. Ahmed (Citation2010) The Paradoxes of Ahmadiyya Identity: Legal Appropriation of Muslim-ness and the Construction of Ahmadiyya Difference, in Navida Khan (ed) Beyond Crisis: Re-evaluating Pakistan (Abingdon: Routledge), pp. 273–314; Mohamed Sulaiman (Citation2","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135993329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anthropology of Water in Varzaneh, Iran","authors":"Dina Taghipour Ziksari, Jalaledin Rafifar","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2266866","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2266866","url":null,"abstract":"AbstractWater quality/quantity crises may make water a hazard source. This study investigates the coded meaning that water crisis causes, how water insecurity impacts mental and physical health, and ways of dealing with water scarcity. However, this cultural meaning contradicts community-level governmental decisions and the unequal water distribution of Iran’s Zayanderud River. Consequently, there is a water crisis in the small city of Varzaneh, and it induces undesired individual-level feelings, such as local concerns that cancer is associated with the deterioration of the Gavkhouni Wetland into which the Zayanderud drains. At the household level, water shortage problems are causing population emigration and/or adoption of different jobs and cropping styles. On a larger scale, public protests are responses to the deteriorating natural environment. Generally, the region’s hierarchical and sectarian social organizing forms contradict. In Varzaneh, the sectarian form views environmental hazards as a higher priority. As a hierarchical form, the government emphasizes foreign enemies and defines the water problems in Varzaneh as not being a top priority. The outcome is social tension over water supply at both small and large scales.Key Words: AgricultureHierarchyIranSocial organizationWater crisisWater management AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank all the participants in this study as they enabled this research journey by helping us to obtain new and deeper insights into the subject. Also, the authors are grateful to Mr. J., the key informant of the study, for selfless guidance and introductions to invaluable individuals. Furthermore, the authors express their gratitude to their families for their support in the ups and downs of this research project.Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 I. Mohammad Jani & N. Yazdanian (Citation2015) The Analysis of Water Crisis Conjecture in Iran and the Exigent Measures for its Management [in Persian], Ravand Journal, 21 (65–66), pp. 123–124.2 K. Milton (Citation1996) Environmentalism and Cultural Theory: Exploring the Role of Anthropology in Environmental Discourse (London: Routledge), p. 178.3 V. Strang (2004) The Meaning of Water (New York: Berg).4 Eslami, “Zayanderud: Past, Present and Future,” pp. 123–124.5 J. Murchison (Citation2009) Ethnography Essentials: Designing, Conducting and Presenting Your Research (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass), p. 4.6 Ibid, p. 42.7 For more on ethnographic research methods, see U. Flick (Citation2009) An Introduction to Qualitative Research (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications), p. 169.8 Ibid, pp. 118–119.9 N. Hajian (Citation2016) Comprehensive Reference of Zayanderud; Studying the Reasons Behind Dried Zayanderud from Technical Perspective and National and International Rights Views (Isfahan, Khorasgan Branch: Islamic Azad University), p. 38 [in Persian].10 Wutich & Brewis. “Food, Water, and Scarcity,” p. 445.11 Ibid,","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":"112 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135758915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of Social Capital Trends after Iran’s Islamic Revolution","authors":"Gholamreza Ghaffari","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2260535","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2260535","url":null,"abstract":"AbstractContemporary Iran has undergone many small and large transformations at the structural, process and agency levels. This article attempts to present a picture of social relations in Iran after ther 1979 Revolution by using the construct of social capital and its ups and downs. The evidence presented in this article shows that at times conditions have improved and steps have been taken to strengthen social capital, for example in the years 1998–2005, 2010 and 2013, when moderate governments were in office, the conditions and atmosphere of optimism were strengthened and the fields of economics, politics and social interactions became more prosperous. However, none of these conditions have continued. Promises made have not been fulfilled and, more importantly, negating the past, ignoring the efforts made, not allowing accumulation, and not building the ladder of social progress are all contributors to the decline of social capital in Iran.Key Words: GovernmentIranJusticeParticipationSocial CapitalTrust AcknowledgementsI feel it is my duty to express my utmost gratitude to the respected professor, Dr. Mustafa Azkia of Tehran University, who provided the opportunity to compile and publish this article. Also, I am extremely grateful to Dr. Alireza Mohseni Tabrizi and Dr. Kush Gorji Sefat in the Department of Sociology at Tehran University. They read earlier versions of the manuscript, and their constructive comments were of tremendous help for improving it.Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.Notes1 Mostefa Azkia & Ahmad Firousabadi (Citation2006) The Role of Social Capital in the Creation of Rural Production Associations: A Case Study of the Karkheh Dam Watershed Basin, Critique: Critical Middle Eastern Studies, 15(3), p. 296.2 Emile Durkheim (Citation2013) The Division of Labour in Society,’ trans. by W. D. Halls; ed. & intro. by S. Lukes, p. 178 (London: Palgrave Macmillan).3 Alexis De Tocqueville ([1840]/2000) Democracy in America, trans., ed. & intro. by Harvey C. Mansfield and Delba Winthrop, p. 486 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press).4 Robert D. Putnam (Citation2007) E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-first Century The 2006 Johan Skytte Prize Lecture, Scandinavian Political Studies, 30(2), p. 137.5 Hilde Coffé & Benny Geys (Citation2006) Community Heterogeneity: A Burden for the Creation of Social Capital? Social Science Quarterly, 87(5), p. 1055.6 Behrooz Hadizonooz (Citation2005) Poverty and inequality of income in Iran, Social Welfare Quarterly, 4(17), p. 187. [in Persian].7 Ibid.8 Robert D. Putnam and Kristin A. Goss (Citation2002) Introduction, in: Robert D. Putnam (ed) Democracies in Flux The Evolution of Social Capital in Contemporary Society, p. 18 (New York: Oxford University Press).9 Hadi Zonooz, “Poverty and inequality of Income in Iran,” p. 187.10 Organization of Management and Planning (Citation2003) Economic Performance Report of the Third Program, p. 16 (Teh","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":"50 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135146694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Poverty and Deprivation Problems in Post-Revolutionary Iran","authors":"Moosa Anbari, Sedigheh Piri","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2263827","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2263827","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:This article examines both the positive and negative aspects of the performance of various governmental poverty elimination institutions and organizations during forty years of the Islamic Republic (1980–2020). Statistics and data show that after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, primarily due to the subsidy for essential goods and the support system based on cash subsidies, extreme poverty decreased dramatically. However, the persistence of relative poverty in society continues to be noticeable, primarily due, after 2010, to international sanctions–and their economic impact–imposed on Iran over its nuclear program. In general, the negative economic factors have reduced the effect of poverty alleviation plans. In addition, weakness in policy coordination among different institutions and programs of poverty eradication and no political will to eliminate the causes of poverty by turning to a sustainable pattern of development also have contributed increasing poverty.Key Words: Iranpovertypoverty eradicationsustainable development AcknowledgmentsWe would like to express our appreciation to Professor Mahmoud Ghazi Tabatabai and Professor Mostafa Azkia for their thoughtful criticisms and helpful suggestions.Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) (1992) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3–14 June.2 2 United Nations General Assembly Conference (2015) Transforming our World: The 2030, Agenda for Sustainable Development, 25 September.3 See further Imam Ruhollah Khomeini (Citation1999) Collection of Works of Imam Khomeini (Tehran: Center for Organizing and Publishing the Works of Imam Khomeini).4 Ahmad Ashraf & Ali Banuazizi (Citation2014) Social Classes, Government and Revolution in Iran translated into Persian by Sohaila T. Farsani, 3rd ed. (Tehran: Niloufar), p. 108; and Hossain Azimi Arani (Citation1992) Underdeveloped Circuits in the Iranian Economy (Tehran: Ney Publishing).5 Mohadeseh Safshekan (Citation2021) National Report on Poverty and Inequality in Iran: Between 2001 and 2017 (Tehran: Social Security Organization Research Institute), p. 79.6 Azimi Arani, Iranian Economy, p. 92.7 Farshad Momeni (Citation2007) Iran's Economy in the Period of Structural Adjustment (Tehran: Naghsh and Negar), pp. 113–146.8 Safshekan, National Report on Poverty and Inequality in Iran, p. 188.9 Zahra Shahidi & Zahra Kaviani (Citation2021) ‘poverty in 2020’ (Tehran: Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare), p. 9.10 Ibid.11 Ibid, p. 11.12 People deprived of at least one aspect of housing (access to water, access to sanitation, adequate living space, sustainable housing and security).13 Azadeh Shahab (Citation2021) ‘Housing poverty’ (Tehran: Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare) p. 10.14 Infant mortality rate, under-5 mortality rate, maternal mortality rate from pregnancy and childbirth complications, and life expectancy at birth.15 Zahr","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":"43 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135146636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"One Thousand and One Cities: Socio-Spatial Patterns and Challenges over a Half-Century of Urbanization in Iran","authors":"Hamidreza Rabiei-Dastjerdi","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2256144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2256144","url":null,"abstract":"Since 1970, Iran has experienced dramatic environmental, political, and socioeconomic changes and events. All these events have impacted and shaped the urbanized landscape in Iran during the past 50 years. This article provides an overview of those factors influencing the socio-spatial patterns during this half-century of urbanization and highlights the current challenges that confront Iran’s cities.","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135208091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Locating Iranian Diasporas in Fifty Years of Academic Discourse: Critical Review of Acculturation Theory","authors":"Zeinab Karimi, Mahmoud Ghazi Tabatabaei","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2256143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2256143","url":null,"abstract":"Over the past five decades, Iran has experienced a massive international emigration of its citizens. Consequently, Iranian diasporas formed in several Western countries as their main destinations. Diverse academic research in gender studies, sociology of the family, and migration has taken an acculturation approach to explaining the struggles of Iranians living abroad. This article aims to discuss the analytical issues that are involved in taking the acculturation framework and the binary view of either traditional/modern or religious/secular when studying Iranian diasporas. The study argues that many publications in the field have contributed to the hegemonic discourse of Iranian migrants as being problematic and whose ‘culture’ does not fit ‘Western modernity’. Such an analytical departure bypasses the intersecting structural inequalities that Iranian diasporas have encountered in Western societies. The article suggests that focusing on the politics of belonging and exclusion is a way out of viewing culture as a given and fixed entity with clear-cut boundaries.","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134912367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Hegemony of Resistance: Hezbollah and the Forging of a National-Popular Will in Lebanon","authors":"Abed Kanaaneh","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2249344","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2249344","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43178170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Kemalism vs Erdoğanism: Continuities and Discontinuities in Turkey’s Hegemonic State Ideology","authors":"Nikos Christofis","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2251329","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2251329","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47593585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Slippery Pearl: A World-Systems Assessment of China’s Economic Hegemony in the United Arab Emirates","authors":"Toufic Sarieddine","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2245296","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2245296","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47303200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Violence of Extractive Urbanization: Dying to Live in Lebanon","authors":"Monica Basbous","doi":"10.1080/19436149.2023.2245295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2023.2245295","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44822,"journal":{"name":"Middle East Critique","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46430942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}