The Syrian uprisings started in 2011 and led to civil war that continues until today in 2019, and has been the cause of one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the century. Syria turned into a warzone for Islamic militant groups like ISIS and regional and global powers. To understand the roots of this conflict, … Read more

The build up of tension between the US and Iraq lead to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. The US developed a moral argument for the invasion on the grounds that Iraq was a threat to global security. The UN passed a resolution that called for Iraqi disarmament of chemical and biological weapons. The … Read more

Curtis Jackson (50 Cent) learned from his experience on the streets, that the only way to get what you want in life, was to be realistic. Many people choose to live in a fantasy world that makes them feel comfortable, while ignoring the details and the reality around them. 50 Cent succeeded because his mind … Read more

The Arab Spring was the move towards democratisation, away from authoritarianism. Since 2011, uprisings have occurred across the entire region, but the results have been mixed. While there have been some changes towards greater reform, not all authoritarian regimes have been removed. And in many countries that saw widespread protest, there has been little political … Read more

Authoritarianism can be defined as a small group of individuals who control the state with little popular interference or oversight, in contrast to democracies. But the presence of an authoritarian government does not mean no political participation, for political participation exists in every political system. Authoritarian regimes in the Middle East have key features that … Read more

Nuclear Weapons In recent years, The US, UK, France, China, North Korea, and Russia have been trying to publicize their nuclear threshold, but Israel have denied being the first state in the Middle East to possess nuclear capabilities despite evidence to the contrary. Arguments that support Israel’s nuclear program say that it is a powerful … Read more

The economics of the Middle East is a mixed picture. Some oil producing countries have seen rapid economic growth, while others like Israel, Turkey, and Tunisia have relied on strong service sectors. But inflation, unemployment, and corruption continue to undercut economic potential in the region. The economies in the Middle East have structural issues, including … Read more

This chapter discusses the main obstacles of the peace process that developed between Israel and Palestine since 1991. Both sides claim to fight for their identity and for their rights. The Israelis have been fighting for their self-defence, while the Palestinians have been fighting for their right to self-determination. The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process The peace … Read more

Political ideology, a consistent set of ideas and visions for how society should work, is a modern phenomenon born out of the French revolution. To understand nationalism, it is important to understand the idea of nations. Nations are bound together by a shared language, culture, and history. Nationalism is an ideology which claims that supreme … Read more

The decades after World War 2 were critical in shaping the Middle East’s political structures. After the war began, demand for oil increased – the Middle East became more valuable, as a supplier of oil, and as a strategic location. During the war, British and French forces occupied Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria while Soviet forces … Read more