Making Sense of the Arab State

Reviews / Votes

"Making Sense of the Arab State is an exemplary volume that offers readers the conceptual tools for understanding recent trends in state development in the Arab world. This is a highly original contribution that should be widely read." -- Lisa Blaydes, Stanford University "Making Sense of the Arab State offers a sophisticated account of the state in the Arab world. It examines the diversity of state qualities in the Arab world and offers new conceptual outlooks on dichotomies of state absence vs presence and state vs society. This is a novel approach and shifts scholarship on studies of the state and politics in the Arab world onto a new level." -- Shahram Akbarzadeh, Deakin University "This book brings together a group of top scholars to generate fresh perspectives on Arab states that move beyond approaches emphasizing the deficiencies of stateness in the region. Collectively, the contributors delve deeply into how Arab regimes, states, and societies operate in practice, situating them in comparative perspective to reveal their commonalities and differences as they have evolved over time. This volume is a must-read for scholars and students of the Middle East." -- Melani Cammett, Harvard University "Making Sense of the Arab State provides a refreshing contribution to both the study of the
state and the Middle East. The theoretically nuanced, empirically rich chapters examine the
region's states as they are, rather than bemoaning what they are not. In doing so, they teach us much state capacity and transformation in the region and beyond." -- Ellen Lust, University of Gothenburg "The volume provides new perspectives on the interaction of states, regimes, and societies in the post-Arab Spring era and reframes scholarly understanding of Middle Eastern States and more broadly, non-Western states. As such, the volume is strongly recommended for students of the modern Middle East and anyone interested in the role of the state in the Global South. Summing up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty." -- Choice Connect "This edited volume takes an expansive view of the state, accounting not only for the importance of regimes and institutions, but also for the role of those who oppose the regimes and institutions of Arab states. It is an accessible and important account of Middle Eastern political science, contentious politics and international relations." -- International Affairs "Making Sense of the Arab State offers rich details, illuminating case studies, and important analytical insights into authoritarian and Middle East politics, particularly when it comes to the critical question of how leaders maintain their grip on power" * Galen Jackson, H-Diplo * "How can Arab states be understood beyond the widely accepted 'failed state' paradigm? Many analyses portray Arab states as weak, fragmented or dysfunctional. However, this anthology demonstrates that these perceived weaknesses are frequently strategic and historically rooted elements of state order, forming part of the regimes' deliberately controlled mechanisms. According to our reviewer, this book is aimed primarily at readers with prior knowledge of political theory and the history of the MENA region." * Sascha Ruppert-Karakas, Portal fuer Politikwissenschaft * "With its nuanced insights and in-depth treatment, this book constitutes an essential resource for researchers, policymakers, and anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of the region's political landscape." [translated from Arabic] * Ahmed Bilal Al-Qatti, al-Salon *