Citizens and States
What do the internal relationships between citizens and states look like in the Arab world? How have they changed over time? And what political systems have emerged from them?
Many Arab regimes are characterized by authoritarian leaders. With the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 and 2019, there briefly seemed to be greater freedom for citizens, but the outcome was often the opposite. Countries such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, and Libya are frequently described as so-called “failed states”—states in which the government plays only a limited role. Meanwhile, the Arab Gulf states, despite their authoritarian regimes, are extremely wealthy. How can this be explained, and is there a connection?
In six lectures, historian Roel Meijer explains the differences between monarchies and republics in the Arab world, the role of oil in politics, and the influence of political Islam.
The course includes a guest lecture by religious studies scholar Heleen Murre-van den Berg on religious minorities in the Arab world. The final lecture examines the background of the current war that began after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Register and learn more about the modern history of the Arab world.
