Understanding Contemporary Middle East

Abstract

What do we mean by the Middle East? How should we study the political ambitions of nearly half a billion people? To what extent are their destinies linked to the politics of great powers, and why? Why is the Middle East in a state of permanent conflict, foggy, and a region filled with local and international attention? This paper aims to analyse the contemporary Middle East and look at the connection between the situation in the region and its colonial legacy. Building a substantial legacy of progressive political and economic institutions in the evolution of the region were gradually rooting both the rule of law and commercial, agricultural, and industrial developments in native soil, in the shadow of colonialism. The paper discusses the weight of the Middle East in global politics (world powers) and how each of these powers defined the Middle East according to their interests. It reveals various historical stages of the creation of the artificial states in the Middle East and the role of the colonial powers in the state-building processes. The paper examines the theoretical approaches and their underlying assumptions concerning the changes in the region (borders, nation-building, patriotism, anti-western culture movement) and the role of colonialism in the emergence of different movements. The paper is based on strategic documents, clarifying the world power policy towards the area. It provides a close look at liberal tradition and its reflections on international relations.