Oil and the political economy in the Middle East

Post-2014 adjustment policies of the Arab Gulf and beyond

Editors:
Martin Beck
Search for other papers by Martin Beck in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
and
Thomas Richter
Search for other papers by Thomas Richter in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close

This book contains the first comprehensive analysis of the Middle Eastern political economy in response to the oil price decline in 2014. The introductory and concluding chapters also touch upon the oil price crash in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss some of the relevant responses by Middle Eastern actors. Its findings connect oil market dynamics with an understanding of sociopolitical changes. Inspired by rentierism, the volume presents original studies on Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Results show a large diversity of country-specific policy adjustments. Among the most pertinent findings are that migrant workers in the Arab Gulf are the main social losers in the post-2014 period, while citizens were capable of repelling burdensome adjustment policies. For Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon, the expectation that they could benefit from the oil price decline in 2014 has not been fulfilled. Three conceptual dimensions for the theoretical advancement of rentierism are highlighted: first, in the light of increasing exploitation and coercion, by bringing state–class relations back into the discussion; second, by paying closer attention to the role of institutions during periods of policy adjustment; third, by exploring the issue of rentier-state autonomy vis-à-vis society in a more nuanced way. Overall, this collection signifies that rentierism still prevails with regard to both empirical dynamics in the Middle East and academic discussions on its political economy.
eISBN:
9781526149107
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526149107
Online Publication Date:
17 Aug 2021
Abstract only
Log-in for full text
Rights and Permissions
Institutional access
  • Collapse
  • Expand

All of MUP's digital content including Open Access books and journals is now available on manchesterhive.

 

Subjects:
Politics
Keywords:
Middle East; political economy; rentierism; oil politics; adjustment policies; economic reform policies; Arab Gulf; Egypt; Jordan; Lebanon
Page Count:
297
Publisher:
Manchester University Press

    • Full book download (HTML)
    • Full book download (PDF with hyperlinks)
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 4521 1253 130
Full Text Views 431 142 3
PDF Downloads 242 83 2
Cover Populism in Europe

Populism in Europe

Lessons from Umberto Bossi’s Northern League

Book

Publication History:

Online Publication Date:
28 Sep 2021
Subjects:
  1. Politics
Available In:
Redeem Token

This is the first book to offer a detailed and systematic analysis based on original research of the ideology, electoral and governmental performances, organisational model, type of leadership and member activism characterising the Lega Nord (Northern League) under its founder, Umberto Bossi (1991–2012). Created thirty years ago, the Northern League has now been shelved by a new leader, Matteo Salvini, who has replaced it with a brand new party that bears his own name: the Lega per Salvini Premier (League for Salvini Premier). However, as western Europe continues to witness the sustained growth of populism within its borders, “Bossi’s League” offers a case study of a populist party moving very early on from protest to government. The book identifies the Northern League’s consistent and coherent ideology, its strong leadership and its ability to create communities of loyal partisan activists as key ingredients of its success. It is shown that the League has much to teach us about how populists can achieve durability and rootedness and how parties of all kinds can still benefit from a committed and dedicated membership today.
Cover Recognition and Global Politics

Recognition and Global Politics

Critical encounters between state and world

Book

Publication History:

Online Publication Date:
01 Sep 2016
Subjects:
  1. Politics
Available In:
Redeem Token

Recognition and Global Politics examines the potential and limitations of the discourse of recognition as a strategy for reframing justice and injustice within contemporary world affairs. Drawing on resources from social and political theory and international relations theory, as well as feminist theory, postcolonial studies and social psychology, this ambitious collection explores a range of political struggles, social movements and sites of opposition that have shaped certain practices and informed contentious debates in the language of recognition.
Cover Donors, technical assistance and public administration in Kosovo

Donors, technical assistance and public administration in Kosovo

Author:
Mary Venner

Book

Publication History:

Online Publication Date:
01 Sep 2016
Subjects:
  1. Politics
Available In:
Redeem Token

The reconstruction of Kosovo after 1999 was one of the largest and most ambitious international interventions in a post conflict country. Kosovo was seen by many international actors as a ‘green fields’ site on which to construct the government institutions and practices they considered necessary for future peace and prosperity. For a while Kosovo was close to being a laboratory for the practice of institution building and capacity development. This book looks beyond the apparently united and generally self congratulatory statements of international organisations and donors to examine what actually happened when they tried to work together in Kosovo to construct a new public administration. It considers the interests and motivations and the strengths and weaknesses of each of the major players and how these affected what they did, how they did it, and how successful they were in achieving their goals. Although in general the international exercise in Kosovo can be seen as a success, the results have been uneven. Some public administration institutions perform well while others face ongoing challenges. The book argues that to a significant extent the current day performance of the Kosovo government can be traced to the steps taken, or sometimes not taken, by various international actors in the early years of the international intervention.