Pub Date : 2024-08-26DOI: 10.1177/23477989241260199
Muhammad Hanif
This study aims to document the impact of oil price variations on generating stock returns in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets during the COVID-19 era. It documents the pandemic era results from January 2020 to October 2022 by employing cointegration, Granger causality, and time-varying coefficient-vector autoregression techniques on daily data. The findings suggest two-way causality between all stock indices and the oil market. Time-dependent relationships were observed during the review period. The findings (based on regression and variance decomposition) indicate that although the reliance of the GCC stock markets was not on oil alone, oil had a significant impact during the study period. It is recommended that investors not consider diversifying portfolios in GCC stocks and oil markets to optimize benefits. The findings are expected to enhance the understanding of academics, market players, regulators, and investors regarding relationships among GCC stocks and oil markets. This study contributes to the literature by documenting the impact of the oil market on stocks during an abnormal period of the COVID-19 pandemic, considering time-varying parameters in a net oil exporting region.
{"title":"Co-movement of Oil and Stock Markets During COVID-19: Evidence from the Gulf Corporation Council","authors":"Muhammad Hanif","doi":"10.1177/23477989241260199","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989241260199","url":null,"abstract":"This study aims to document the impact of oil price variations on generating stock returns in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets during the COVID-19 era. It documents the pandemic era results from January 2020 to October 2022 by employing cointegration, Granger causality, and time-varying coefficient-vector autoregression techniques on daily data. The findings suggest two-way causality between all stock indices and the oil market. Time-dependent relationships were observed during the review period. The findings (based on regression and variance decomposition) indicate that although the reliance of the GCC stock markets was not on oil alone, oil had a significant impact during the study period. It is recommended that investors not consider diversifying portfolios in GCC stocks and oil markets to optimize benefits. The findings are expected to enhance the understanding of academics, market players, regulators, and investors regarding relationships among GCC stocks and oil markets. This study contributes to the literature by documenting the impact of the oil market on stocks during an abnormal period of the COVID-19 pandemic, considering time-varying parameters in a net oil exporting region.","PeriodicalId":41159,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Review of the Middle East","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142213156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-17DOI: 10.1177/23477989241262201
Ahmet Fathy İbrahimoğlu, Mehmet Rakipoglu
This study explores the strategic deployment of religion by the Egyptian military regime as a legitimizing tool for the 2013 military coup and ensuing rule. Central to the analysis is the role of the Egyptian Dar al-Ifta, a pivotal state religious institution, in securitizing the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates. While multiple frameworks exist to dissect regime preservation tactics, the research harnesses securitization theory to illuminate these strategies. Grounding the arguments in the foundational works of Juha Vuori in nondemocratic contexts, it contends that the Egyptian military regime tactically utilized religious institutions to securitize its adversaries and enriches the extant literature by integrating securitization principles within the Egyptian context and emphasizes underexplored narratives from the Global South. Moreover, it seeks to bridge a research gap on the nexus between religious institutions and individual actors and delves into the intricate interplay between religious and political discourses by examining speeches and statements infused with religious rhetoric for legitimization.
本研究探讨了埃及军政权将宗教作为 2013 年军事政变和随后统治的合法化工具的战略部署。分析的核心是埃及 Dar al-Ifta（一个举足轻重的国家宗教机构）在确保穆斯林兄弟会及其附属组织安全方面的作用。虽然存在多种框架来剖析政权维护策略，但本研究利用安全化理论来阐明这些策略。该研究以尤哈-沃里（Juha Vuori）在非民主背景下的奠基性著作为论据，认为埃及军政权在战术上利用宗教机构使其对手安全化，并通过将安全化原则纳入埃及背景，丰富了现有文献，同时强调了全球南部未被充分探索的叙事。此外，该书还试图弥补宗教机构与个人行为者之间关系的研究空白，并通过研究为合法化而注入宗教修辞的演讲和声明，深入探讨宗教与政治话语之间错综复杂的相互作用。
{"title":"When Religion Takes the Stage: How the Coup Regime Instrumentalizes Religion in Securitizing Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt","authors":"Ahmet Fathy İbrahimoğlu, Mehmet Rakipoglu","doi":"10.1177/23477989241262201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989241262201","url":null,"abstract":"This study explores the strategic deployment of religion by the Egyptian military regime as a legitimizing tool for the 2013 military coup and ensuing rule. Central to the analysis is the role of the Egyptian Dar al-Ifta, a pivotal state religious institution, in securitizing the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates. While multiple frameworks exist to dissect regime preservation tactics, the research harnesses securitization theory to illuminate these strategies. Grounding the arguments in the foundational works of Juha Vuori in nondemocratic contexts, it contends that the Egyptian military regime tactically utilized religious institutions to securitize its adversaries and enriches the extant literature by integrating securitization principles within the Egyptian context and emphasizes underexplored narratives from the Global South. Moreover, it seeks to bridge a research gap on the nexus between religious institutions and individual actors and delves into the intricate interplay between religious and political discourses by examining speeches and statements infused with religious rhetoric for legitimization.","PeriodicalId":41159,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Review of the Middle East","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142213053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The primary aim of this article is to assess the E-Government Development Index (EGDI) of Arab Gulf countries, and it elucidates the key obstacles impeding the progress of the Gulf countries in the e-government sector. The EGDI data for the Gulf countries have been obtained from the United Nations, and an online business intelligence tool has been utilized for visualization purposes to facilitate comprehension. The levels of indicators within EGDI have been examined upon effectively retrieving data and presenting it appropriately. The article discusses the key areas of improvement that require governments’ attention in the Gulf countries to enhance their EGDI score. This can be leveraged to advance to global standards, offering their citizens optimal governance. Countries in the Gulf region must recognize that the e-government effort encompasses more than simply the transformation of governance and the provision of high-quality services. Instead, it entails aligning with global trends and effectively competing with other nations regarding developmental advancements. Countries must adhere to prevailing e-government trends to ensure alignment with global standards and expedite national advancement.
{"title":"Exploring E-Government Development Index as an Indicator of Sustainability in the Gulf Region","authors":"Muhammad Younus, Eko Priyo Purnomo, Achmad Nurmandi, Chin-Fu Hung, Prathivadi Anand, Tiara Khairunnisa","doi":"10.1177/23477989241260161","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989241260161","url":null,"abstract":"The primary aim of this article is to assess the E-Government Development Index (EGDI) of Arab Gulf countries, and it elucidates the key obstacles impeding the progress of the Gulf countries in the e-government sector. The EGDI data for the Gulf countries have been obtained from the United Nations, and an online business intelligence tool has been utilized for visualization purposes to facilitate comprehension. The levels of indicators within EGDI have been examined upon effectively retrieving data and presenting it appropriately. The article discusses the key areas of improvement that require governments’ attention in the Gulf countries to enhance their EGDI score. This can be leveraged to advance to global standards, offering their citizens optimal governance. Countries in the Gulf region must recognize that the e-government effort encompasses more than simply the transformation of governance and the provision of high-quality services. Instead, it entails aligning with global trends and effectively competing with other nations regarding developmental advancements. Countries must adhere to prevailing e-government trends to ensure alignment with global standards and expedite national advancement.","PeriodicalId":41159,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Review of the Middle East","volume":"87 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141786106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-03DOI: 10.1177/23477989241243190
Kamran Rabiei, Arman Mortazavi
Despite pursuing industrial development to solve various socioeconomic and sociopolitical issues, such as the urgent need to reconstruct war damages in Iran, the foreign debt crisis in Egypt, and population growth in both countries, statistical data show only slight progress. The graphs of the gross domestic product (GDP) growth and exports of goods and services as a percentage of GDP, which are reliable indexes for measuring industrial output, along with the rate of foreign direct investment, demonstrate numerous fluctuations and instability in the economic growth rate for both cases under the period under review. Failing to diversify the economy, Iran and Egypt still relied heavily on unproductive rents, mostly from hydrocarbon exports, at the end of this era. Why is this the case despite the national leadership putting industrial development on the agenda? This article addresses this question by examining state capacity, focusing on the internal cohesion of state authority and its relation to society. In so doing, comparative historical analysis and causal narrative method are used.
尽管通过发展工业来解决各种社会经济和社会政治问题，如伊朗急需重建战争造成的破坏、埃及的外债危机以及两国的人口增长，但统计数据显示，进展甚微。国内生产总值（GDP）增长率、商品和服务出口占 GDP 的百分比以及外国直接投资率是衡量工业产出的可靠指标，这些图表显示，在审查所涉期间，两国的经济增长率都出现了多次波动和不稳定。由于未能实现经济多样化，伊朗和埃及在这一时期结束时仍然严重依赖非生产性租金，其中大部分来自油气出口。尽管国家领导层将工业发展提上了议事日程，但为什么会出现这种情况呢？本文通过研究国家能力来探讨这一问题，重点关注国家权力的内部凝聚力及其与社会的关系。在此过程中，采用了比较历史分析法和因果叙述法。
{"title":"State Capacity and Industrial Development: A Comparative Study of Iran and Egypt (1990–2010)","authors":"Kamran Rabiei, Arman Mortazavi","doi":"10.1177/23477989241243190","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989241243190","url":null,"abstract":"Despite pursuing industrial development to solve various socioeconomic and sociopolitical issues, such as the urgent need to reconstruct war damages in Iran, the foreign debt crisis in Egypt, and population growth in both countries, statistical data show only slight progress. The graphs of the gross domestic product (GDP) growth and exports of goods and services as a percentage of GDP, which are reliable indexes for measuring industrial output, along with the rate of foreign direct investment, demonstrate numerous fluctuations and instability in the economic growth rate for both cases under the period under review. Failing to diversify the economy, Iran and Egypt still relied heavily on unproductive rents, mostly from hydrocarbon exports, at the end of this era. Why is this the case despite the national leadership putting industrial development on the agenda? This article addresses this question by examining state capacity, focusing on the internal cohesion of state authority and its relation to society. In so doing, comparative historical analysis and causal narrative method are used.","PeriodicalId":41159,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Review of the Middle East","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140827387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-19DOI: 10.1177/23477989241244440
Anuradha Jangra
{"title":"Leon McCarron (2023). Wounded Tigris: A River Journey Through the Cradle of Civilization. London: Corsair. Hardcover. ISBN: 978-1-4721- 5623-5. Price: £15, pp. 338","authors":"Anuradha Jangra","doi":"10.1177/23477989241244440","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989241244440","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":41159,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Review of the Middle East","volume":"55 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140627927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-12DOI: 10.1177/23477989241240899
Mordechai Chaziza
A new era of great power rivalry has returned to the center of the global stage. The Middle East has emerged as one of the key arenas where this rivalry is being played out, and analyzing it through the lens of power transition theory provides valuable insights into the dynamics at play. This study focuses on the great power rivalry between the United States and China in the Middle East through the lens of power transition theory. It examines whether this great power rivalry in the region will allow them to pursue competitive coexistence or if they can expect increasing levels of confrontation and mutual deterrence. The study maintains that the US-China rivalry in the Middle East is multidimensional and spans primarily three dimensions: geo-economic (the Belt and Road Initiative framework), geopolitical (partnership diplomacy), and the race for technological supremacy (the Digital Silk Road). While conflict is not inevitable, it is essential to recognize the potential for confrontation and build a coordinated mechanism to manage and mitigate these tensions.
{"title":"The US-China Rivalry in the Middle East: Confrontation or Competitive Coexistence","authors":"Mordechai Chaziza","doi":"10.1177/23477989241240899","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989241240899","url":null,"abstract":"A new era of great power rivalry has returned to the center of the global stage. The Middle East has emerged as one of the key arenas where this rivalry is being played out, and analyzing it through the lens of power transition theory provides valuable insights into the dynamics at play. This study focuses on the great power rivalry between the United States and China in the Middle East through the lens of power transition theory. It examines whether this great power rivalry in the region will allow them to pursue competitive coexistence or if they can expect increasing levels of confrontation and mutual deterrence. The study maintains that the US-China rivalry in the Middle East is multidimensional and spans primarily three dimensions: geo-economic (the Belt and Road Initiative framework), geopolitical (partnership diplomacy), and the race for technological supremacy (the Digital Silk Road). While conflict is not inevitable, it is essential to recognize the potential for confrontation and build a coordinated mechanism to manage and mitigate these tensions.","PeriodicalId":41159,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Review of the Middle East","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140578590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-11DOI: 10.1177/23477989241240828
Ariel I. Ahram
This article examines the strengths and weaknesses of the peace system in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It views peace not merely as the absence of direct violence but as the result of institutions and systems that mitigate, defuse, and diminish conflict. The peace system of MENA operates at multiple scales and deals with multiple kinds of violent conflict. Different system components produce different forms of positive and negative peace through both formal and informal institutional channels. Consequently, peace in MENA is often uneven and unstable, with progress in one dimension coming at the expense of another. Understanding the gaps and inconsistencies within the MENA peace system can help devise a more realistic and feasible approach to conflict resolution rather than abstract and ultimately impractical ideals. The article identifies shortcomings in the current explanations for the frequency of war, explores the idea of a regional peace system that operates in regional and domestic arenas both formally and informally, and examines policy measures that might bolster or undercut the MENA peace system.
{"title":"In Search of a Middle East and North Africa Peace System","authors":"Ariel I. Ahram","doi":"10.1177/23477989241240828","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989241240828","url":null,"abstract":"This article examines the strengths and weaknesses of the peace system in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It views peace not merely as the absence of direct violence but as the result of institutions and systems that mitigate, defuse, and diminish conflict. The peace system of MENA operates at multiple scales and deals with multiple kinds of violent conflict. Different system components produce different forms of positive and negative peace through both formal and informal institutional channels. Consequently, peace in MENA is often uneven and unstable, with progress in one dimension coming at the expense of another. Understanding the gaps and inconsistencies within the MENA peace system can help devise a more realistic and feasible approach to conflict resolution rather than abstract and ultimately impractical ideals. The article identifies shortcomings in the current explanations for the frequency of war, explores the idea of a regional peace system that operates in regional and domestic arenas both formally and informally, and examines policy measures that might bolster or undercut the MENA peace system.","PeriodicalId":41159,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Review of the Middle East","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140602478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-05DOI: 10.1177/23477989241240833
Abhishek Khajuria
{"title":"Shaul Adar, On the Border: The Rise and Decline of the Most Political Club in the World. Durrington: Pitch Publishing, 2022, Kindle Edition: 388 pp. Price: £16.99, ISBN 9781801500951","authors":"Abhishek Khajuria","doi":"10.1177/23477989241240833","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989241240833","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":41159,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Review of the Middle East","volume":"124 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140602477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-07DOI: 10.1177/23477989231226004
Bincy Baburaj Kaluvilla
The book offers a perfect analysis of the relationship between individuals in sports and the Middle Eastern area while focusing on a frequently understudied aspect of its culture and civilization. The main aim of this review is to explore the main ideas, assets, and potential weaknesses of the book. With an emphasis on historical developments, sociocultural contexts, and the political ramifications associated with sporting events in the Middle East, this extensive work offers a nuanced understanding of the relevance of sports. This review will analyze the book’s main ideas and determine how effective it is in illuminating this fascinating connection between sports and the Middle East.
{"title":"Danyel Reiche and Paul Michael Brannagan (eds.) (2022). Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East, London: Routledge. Paperback, ISBN: 978–1-003–03291-5. Price: £32:24. 406 pp.","authors":"Bincy Baburaj Kaluvilla","doi":"10.1177/23477989231226004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23477989231226004","url":null,"abstract":"The book offers a perfect analysis of the relationship between individuals in sports and the Middle Eastern area while focusing on a frequently understudied aspect of its culture and civilization. The main aim of this review is to explore the main ideas, assets, and potential weaknesses of the book. With an emphasis on historical developments, sociocultural contexts, and the political ramifications associated with sporting events in the Middle East, this extensive work offers a nuanced understanding of the relevance of sports. This review will analyze the book’s main ideas and determine how effective it is in illuminating this fascinating connection between sports and the Middle East.","PeriodicalId":41159,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Review of the Middle East","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139951929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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