VI: National and Area Studies/Études Nationales et Régionales
| Published date | 01 December 2012 |
| Date | 01 December 2012 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002083451206200606 |
| Subject Matter | Abstracts |
817
VI
NATIONAL AND AREA STUDIES
ÉTUDES NATIONALES ET RÉGIONALES
62.8255 ABBOUD, Samer Nassif — Fragmentation in the Syrian
opposition. Orient 53(3), 2012 : 64-69.
The peaceful protests that erupted in Syria in March 2011 sparked a
protracted protest movement now in its second year. These upr isings
were met with fierce repression by the regime, which has until recently
rejected all regional and national demands for a halt to the violence.
Thus far, the regime has been able to shield itself from a more substan-
tive political tra nsition process in large part because of the absence of a
unified Syrian opposition. Although the Syrian uprising has created the
political opportunity for the formation of multiple Syrian opp osition
groups, as the uprising continues , more and more groups claiming to
represent the opposition have emerged, creating disunity, conflict, and
mistrust between the different opposition gr oups. [R, abr.] [See Abstr.
62.8401]
62.8256 AMABLE, Bruno ; GUILLAUD, Elvire ; PALOMBAR INI,
Stefano — Changin g French capitalism: political and sys-
temic crises in France. Journal of European Public Policy
19(8), 2012 : 1168-1187.
France's model of capitalism ex periences a crisis with multiple aspects.
First, the French model of capitalism has undergone deep reforms since
the 1980s. Second, t he French political life is characterized by a political
crisis: the vanishing of the space for mediation between the divergent
expectations of the social groups composing the dominant social bloc.
These crises are linked. First, because the institutional reforms under-
taken since the 1980s have changed French capitalism, its institutional
complementarities, the profile of socio-political groups, an d have contrib-
uted to destabi lizing social alliances. Second, because the political crisis
has pushed policy-makers to turn to institutio nal change as a necessary
condition for opening up new spaces of mediation. This contribution
surveys the main changes experienced by the French model over the
past 30 years, analyses the break-up of the traditional soc ial alliances
and present s the elements of the political crisis in relation to neoliberal
structural reforms. [R] [See Abstr. 62.8314]
62.8257 APFEL, St eve — A bias thicker than faith: Christians who
punt for their persecutors. Israel Affairs 18(3), July 2012 :
403-411.
[Of] the several paradoxes in the propaganda war against Israel, the
most puzzling perhaps would be the w ay many Christ ian groups and
churches side with the Palestinians. On the evidence one would expect
the opposite. Believing Christians have every logical reason to be pro-
Israel, where alone in the Middle East Christendom's holy sites are
protected; where Christians may pr ay openly; and where Christian
followers face no pressures to convert. On the Palestinian side, n one of
those freedoms exist. How in that cas e can one explain groups like the
Presbyterians , the World Council of Ch urches, Christian Aid and so forth
aiming their missiles at the Jewis h state? Bringing together religious
doctrine, life-preserving motives and naked bias, this article seeks to
provide answers to the paradox of Christianity against Christian-friendly
Israel. [R] [See Abstr. 62.8321]
62.8258 BACON, Edwin — Writing Russia's future: paradigm s,
drivers, and scenarios. Europe-Asia Studies 64(7), Sept.
2012 : 1165-1189.
The development of prediction and forecasting in the social sciences
over the past century and more is closely linked with developments in
Russia. The Soviet collapse undermined confidence in predictive c apa-
bilities, and scenario p lanning emerged as the dominant futur e-oriented
methodology in area studies, including the stu dy of Russia. Scenarists
anticipate multiple futures rather than predicting one. The approach is
too rarely c ritiqued. Building on an account of Russia-related forecasting
in the 20th c., analysis of two de cades of scenarios reveals uniform
accounts which downplay the insights of experts and of social science
theory alike. [R]
62.8259 BARAK, Oren — Representation and stability in postwar
Lebanon. Representation 48(3), Sept. 2012 : 321-333.
The two decades since the end of the civil war in Lebanon (1975-1990)
were not always stable but did not witness a return to conflict. Th is article
suggests that a significant factor that can help account for this outcome
is the reforms introduced in Leba non's secu rity sector , and especially i n
the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which made the LAF more represen-
tative and hence mor e legitimate in the eyes of members of Lebanon's
various societal sectors. This case suggest that in divided s ocieties in the
aftermath of conflict, stability can be attained by enhancing the represen-
tativeness of the security sector, in addition to similar refo rms in the
political system. [R] [See Abs tr. 62.7312]
62.8260 BARSALOU, Judy — Po st-Mubarak Egypt : history, collec-
tive memory and memorialization. Middle East Policy
19(2), Summer 2012 : 134-147.
How have protagonists in Egypt's transition used historical narratives and
memorialization to promote their diverse agendas since the fall of H.
Mubarak? This article argues that evidence of the unfinished nature of
Egypt's transition is foun d in state efforts to control access to historical
materials and in controversies about interpreting Egypt's contemporary
history. It also provides examples of four different processes through
which memory is created, manipulated and conveyed by ordinary people:
the collection and storage of materials us ing digital technologies; dem-
onstrations, m arches and memorial services; the ren aming of civic
spaces; and artistic activism. [R]
62.8261 BEN-MEIR, Alon — In all or in part? A look at the unique
states in the Arab Spring and their coll ective future.
Whitehead Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations
13(1), Winter-Spring 201 2 : 105-116.
This essay’s first two sections analyze the Arab uprising as an integral
part of global trans formation, ushering in a new era in which no ruler can
deprive his citizens of their basic rights. The next three sections explain
how common denominators and unique characteristics of each country ,
as well as determinants of Western intervention, will shape the develop-
ment of each nation's r espective upris ing and future. Th is part demon-
strates why the Arab "Spring" could turn into a cruel "winter" of new
challenges and political uncertainty. [R] [See Abstr. 62.8196]
62.8262 BENRAAD, Myriam — Irak : l'héritage américain (Iraq: the
American legacy). Politi que inter nationale 136, Summer
2012 : 257-274.
Even tho ugh a c ertain number of US civilian employees are still in Ir aq,
American tr oops withdre w from the country on 18 December 2011,
nearly nine years after first arriving in March 2003. Of cour se, Saddam
Hussein's bloody regime has been eliminated. But the country s till is not
out of the woods. The US has in fact committed several errors in this
adventure, star ting with the establishment of a new political order in the
summer of 2003, based on the ethnic-religious sharing of power between
Arabs, Kurds, Shi’ites, Sunnis and Christians. Becaus e this power-
sharing arrangement did not reflect social realities in the country, it
immediately fed tensions a nd blocked polit ical progress. [R, abr.]
62.8263 BERG, Eiki — Pa rent stat es versus secessionist entities:
measuring political legitimacy in Cyprus, Moldova and
Bosnia & Hercegovina. Europe-Asi a Studies 64(7), Sept.
2012 : 1271-1296.
This article questions whether a relatively strong conviction that legiti-
macy conveys nothing more than acceptance derived from legal recogni-
tion. Therefor e several indices are construc ted which are applicable to
comparing and contrasting four major dimensions of political legitimacy
both in parent stat es and in secessionist entities. In measuring political
legitimacy in Cyprus, Moldova and Bosnia & Herzegovina in terms of
identity and secur ity on the one hand, and democ racy and performance
on the other, we may be able to obs erve cases where interna l legitimacy
has been neglected by the international community. This articl e c on-
cludes that legitimacy is a variable continuously used in the support an d
rejection of secessionist bids and integrationist endeavors. [R]
62.8264 BERG, Eiki ; MÖLDER, Martin — Who is enti tled to "earn
sovereignty"? Legitimacy and regime support in
Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Nations and Nationalism
18(3), July 2012 : 527-545.
Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karaba kh ar e intern ationally unrecogniz ed
political entities, or so-called de facto states, that have emerged as a
result of the incomplete and contested state-formation of their parent
states and of the secessionist movements that emerged in the power
vacuum of the post-Soviet space. In a ddition t o examini ng the conven-
tional reliance on the self-determination principle, usually followed by a
call for international recognition, this article surveys whether these
National and area studies
818
political entities have prov ed that they embody "rightful author ity" as such
and whether they "have earned their sovereignty". In other words, it
examines the self-determinatio n claims in A bkhazia and Nagorno-
Karabakh bas ed on legitimac y criteria that are widely a ccepted for lib eral
democratic soc ieties using an analysis of the respective issues as they
were represented in focus-group discussions in these two regions. [R]
62.8265 BERGMANN, Michael ; KONZELMANN, Laura ;
RATTINGER, Hans — Deutschland auf dem Weg in die
"Rentner-Demokratie"? Eine empirische Untersuchung
altersspezifischer Einstellungsunterschiede und ihrer
Bedeutung für das Wahlverhalten aif Basis einer aktuel-
len Bevölkerungsumfrage (Is Germany on the path to a
"pensioner democracy"? An empirical investigation of
age-specific differences in political attitudes and their
relevance for electoral behavio r based on rece nt survey).
Politische Vier teljahresschrift 53(3), 2 012 : 371-393.
Demographic change is one of the biggest challenges with regard to
social and economic developments in Germany. The public debate
mainly focuses on negative effects for social security systems. However,
analyzing pot ential results of an ageing popu lation for political attitudes
and political behav ior of the citizenry does not play a m ajor role in scien-
tific research so far . This article first examines age-specific differences in
individual politic al att itudes. Second, we an alyze possible determinants
of age-specific party vote-choice. We find age-specific attitudes, which —
at least in part — do have an impact on party choice. [R]
62.8266 BOOTH, D avid ; GOLOOBA-MUTEBI, Freder ick —
Developmental patrimonialism? The case of Rwanda.
African Affairs 444, July 2012 : 379-403.
Academic debate on Rwanda does not usually mak e use of a theoreti-
cally informed comparative framework. This article addresses the distinc-
tive approach of the RPF-led regime to po litical invo lvement in the
private sector of the economy . It uses the framework of a cross-national
study which distinguishes between more an d less developmental forms
of neo-patr imonial politics . The article analyzes the RPF's private busi-
ness operations centered on the holdi ng company known successively
as Tri-Star I nvestments and Crys tal Ventures Ltd. These operations
involve t he kind of central ized generation and management of economic
rents that has distinguished the more developmental regimes of Asia and
Africa. With some qualific ations, we conclude that Rwanda should be
seen as a developmental patrimonial state. [R, abr.]
62.8267 BRAGINSKAI A, Ekaterina — "Domestication" or represen-
tation? Russia and the institutionalisation of Islam in
comparative perspective. Europe-Asia Studies 64(3), May
2012 : 597-621.
The essay discusses Russia's historic engagement with Islam and
suggests that some of its contemporary developments should be exam-
ined throu gh a compar ison of si milar and d ifferent atte mpts to ins titution-
alize Islam in Britain and France. The value of s uch a comparison lies in
better understand ing similar challenges to promoting moderate forms of
Islam and engaging with Muslim representa tive institutions w ithin differ-
ent nat ional contexts . Although the three countries dev eloped differe nt
policies for integr ating Muslim citizens, there is a degree of convergence
in state determination to impos e tigh ter s ecurity measures while using
more integrationist rhetoric. Russia's engage ment with Muslim c ommuni-
ties provides an interesting hybrid which is partly r eminiscent of Britain's
multicultural aspirations and partly of France's drive for r egulatory effi-
ciency. [R, abr.] [See Abstr. 62.8176]
62.8268 BROX, Trine — Constructing a Tibetan demos in exile.
Citizenship Studies 16(3-4), June 2012 : 451-467.
This article explores how displaced Tibetans demarcate and characterize
the T ibetan demos in the process of building a democratic community
and a governm ent-in-exile. In t his democr acy-in-exile, def ining the
demos is not only a means of representing a people, but also a means of
regaining a lost homeland. Two specific instances of the construction of
a transnational exile demos are inves tigated: citizenship and political
representation. The Tibetan Government-in-Exile's fo rmalized idea of
citizenship builds upon ideals of equal and loyal members who form a
single unit bounded by a common cause. This also constitutes the
foundation for Tibetan citizens' politica l representation in the Tibetan
Parliament-in-Exile. The parliamen t's de finition of the demos enhances
regional and religious adherence as essentials for determining who the
Tibetan people are. [R, abr.]
62.8269 BYMAN, Daniel ; GOLD, Zack — The Salafi awakening [in
Egypt]. National Interest 120, July-Aug. 2012 : 27-37.
In the wak e of Egypt's revolution and subsequent elections, Westerners
have focused on the Muslim Brotherhood, which has emerged as a
political force to be reck oned with. But the Egyptian Salafis, more fun-
damentalist than the Brotherhood, garnered ne arly a quarter of the seats
in the new P eople's Assemb ly, and they bear watc hing as well. [R]
62.8270 CALLAHAN, William A. — China’s futu res and the world’s
future: an introduction. China Information 26(2), July 2012 :
137-148.
This article argues that Chinese futures studies exhibit two general
trends: (1) a shift from loc ating the future outside China to see China
itself as the future, and (2) a shift from officials centr ally planning the
future to many different people dreaming about many different futures.
The battle for the future thus is not necessarily between China and the
West, but also takes place within China amongs t different groups of
Chinese intellectuals. This Introduction examines themes that unite the
special issue's diverse articles, especially the interplay between technical
and cultural innovation. Chinese disc ussions of the futur e can tell us
about how peop le in the PRC inter act with their own past-present-future,
and how they inter act with people in other countr ies in the present. [R,
abr.] [Introd uction to a thematic issue on "China's future", edited by the
author. See also Abstr. 62. 6913, 7290, 7795, 8139, 8271, 8276]
62.8271 CALLAHAN, William A. — Shangha i’s alter native fu tures:
the World Expo, citizen intellectuals, and China’s new
civil society. China Information 26(2), July 2012 : 251-273.
Civil society seems to be a dead issue in China because its formal
aspects of mobi lization and institutional ization are so tight ly regulated by
the party-state. This article looks to activities in and around the Shanghai
World Expo (2010) to rethink the meaning of civil society and political
action in C hina. Through an analysis of the Expo's national, theme, and
corporate pavilions, it shows how Beijing is planning a harmonious future
for China and the world. Yet alongside this unified future, it examines
how Shanghai's citizen intellectuals — filmmaker Jia Zhangke, artist Cai
Guoqiang, and blogger Han Han — are creating alternative futures. This
multiple decentralized view of the future is an integral part of building
alternative notions of civil s ociety in China. [R, abr.] [See Abstr. 62.8270]
62.8272 CARMO, Corival — Venezuela : democratização e trans-
formações econômicas no governo Hugo Chávez (Vene-
zuela: democratization and economic transformations
under the Hugo Chavez government). Brazilian J ournal of
International Relations 2012(1) : 8 5-125.
The objective of this article is to portray the political and economic
transformations in Venezuela, ev idencing that, in despite of an absence
of a predefi ned project, the possibilities of the current transformations
were already put in the 1999 C onstitution. In this sense, the Constitution
keeps being taken in different ways from the social demands and the
political struggles. T he legal mark created by the 1999 Constitution giv es
distance not only for society and State democratization, but also to the
creation process of a new development model. It also points that build as
answers to the political struggles and to the s ocial conflicts, the institu-
tions and t he development model aren't defined, they change acc ording
to the dynamics of those political and social c onflicts and, therefore, it
isn't viable make a fin al balance of C havez gov ernment. Th is undefine d
situation produces consequences upon the own State capacity of atten d
and act within social demands. [R ]
62.8273 CAVATORTA, Francesc o ; HAUGBØLLE, Rikke Hostrup —
The end of authoritarian rule and the mythology of Tuni-
sia under Ben Ali. Mediterrane an Politics 17(2), July 2012 :
179-195.
Rather than concentrating on potential explanations for the Tunisian
uprising or focusing on the future challenges the country has, this article
looks back at the time of Be n A li and the mythology that the re gime
created around political, economic and social development in Tunisia.
The article argues that the authoritarian resilience paradigm and the
democratization one tended to obsc ure the complexity of Tunisian
society and how it reacted and adapted to the policies the regime imple-
mented over the course of more than two decades. Thus, the article
problematizes the rigidity of parad igms and contends that a more nu-
anced and holistic approach is nec essary t o understand both Tunisian
politics and Arab politics more generally. [R] [See Abstr. 62.8357]
62.8274 CHALMERS, Malcolm — [Scottish independence] King-
dom's end? RUSI Journal 157(3), June-July 2012 : 6-11.
Should the Scots vot e “Yes” in the announced referendum on independ-
ence, what would the consequences be for the two successor s tates?
The author explores the potential implications of an independent Scot-
land for the security and defense of the British Isles. [R]
62.8275 CHANIS, J onathan — Crude oil is not fung ible, where it
comes from does m atter, and global markets are more
fragmented than many think. American Foreign Policy In-
terests 34(3), May-June 2012 : 144-148.
Some analy sts tend to overestimate the role of markets in promoting US
energy security, assuming that crude oil moves internationally as if it
were traded in a “free market". But global petroleum are severely con-
strained by many factors, including logistical limitations, increasingly non-
interchange able types of crude o il, and limitations on where companies
can produce oil and to whom they can sell it. Most important, the markets
To continue reading
Request your trial