Role Theory in the Middle East and North Africa

<p>Since December 2010 a series of uprisings revolutions coups and civil wars have shaken up the Middle East and North Africa region. In this chaotic political environment several countries have been trying to influence this regional transformation. The implications of this transformation are of great importance for the region its people and global politics. </p><p>Using a rich combination of primary and secondary sources elite interviews and content analysis Yasemin Akbaba and Özgür Özdamar apply role theory to analyze ideational (e.g. identity religion) and material (e.g. security economy) sources of national role conceptions in Egypt Iran Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The authors take a closer look at the transformation of these four powers’ foreign policies since the beginning of Arab uprisings with a specific focus on religion. Each case study is written to a common template allowing for clear comparative analyses.</p><p>Written in a clear and accessible style <i>Role Theory in the Middle East and North Africa</i> offers a thought provoking and pioneering insight into the usefulness of role theory in foreign policy making in the developing world. The perfect combination of theoretically oriented and empirically rich analysis make this volume an ideal resource for scholars and researchers of International Relations Foreign Policy Middle East Politics and International Security.</p>