Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Story Of State Transformation In The Global South: Limited Statehood And Governance In Post-Syria Lebanon, Jodor Jalit

Theses and Dissertations

This research thesis analyzes security governance in areas of limited statehood in the context of state transformation. Specifically, it examines the impact of the 2005 Syrian military withdrawal on the Lebanese state in the realm of security. Briefly, the thesis unveils the coexistence of state and non-state groups and the engagement of non-state actors in state-like practices. That is, it assesses the impact of the 2005 Syrian military withdrawal on the Lebanese state to reveal the relationship its new configuration, relationship with non-state actors, and emerging governance practices. In that sense, this thesis pretends to contribute to the larger body …

What Is Beyond Graduation For Mena Scholarship Alumni? Understanding The Global Journeys Of Tomorrow’S Leaders Scholarship Alumni, Albaraa Quradi

Theses and Dissertations

The research conducted by the author delves deeply into the migration experiences of students from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a specific focus on graduates of the Tomorrow's Leaders scholarship program. Through the use of a case study methodology, the study investigates the complex interconnections between migration, development, inequality, and the students' countries of origin.

The investigation critically analyzes the aftermath of pursuing higher education on a scholarship basis, shedding light on how migration experiences are intertwined with broader issues of development and inequality in the MENA region. Furthermore, the research examines the factors that drive …

Navigating Complexity Of Serving Displaced Communities: A Study Of Yemeni Community-Based Organizations In Egypt, Alya Mohammed Al-Mahdi

Theses and Dissertations

Forced displacement is a global crisis that poses challenges for nations like Egypt. Despite international NGO support, escalating displaced individuals have overwhelmed existing capacities. Refugee Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have emerged as a natural response from the communities themselves to bridge the gap between the state and NGOs and the refugee community. However, CBOs in Egypt face challenges that impact their operation and continuity. Through qualitative research, this study aims to explore the experience of the Yemeni CBOs. Through interviews with seven people from six CBOs conducted through field visits and online calls, this research uncovers the dynamics of Yemeni CBOs …

The Fall And Rise Of Bengali Muslim Conciousness: Conceptualising The Identity Of The Bangla Universal, Habib Khan

Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of modern-nation states saw the end of the empirical era of exploitation and exercise of inherent racist tendencies towards the 'other'. However, the effect of that colonial system is still ever-present in the creation and governance of these newly independent states. While every new state aims to be 'modern', they adopt the international legal framework of the West as their own - a system they had initially wanted to escape. The concept of Muslim universality in the form of the ummah should have freed Pakistan from the shackles of its former colonial masters. Instead, this phenomenon was replaced …

Historical Trauma: Literary And Testimonial Responses To Hiroshima, Mariam Ghonim

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of trauma is controversial in literature. While one may be able to come up with ways to describe trauma in fiction, representing historical trauma is a hard task for writers. Some argue that trauma can not be described through those who did not experience it, while others claim that, provided some elements are added, one can represent trauma to the reader. This thesis focuses on twentieth-century historical traumas related to a nuclear catastrophe and explores the different literary and testimonial responses to the catastrophic man-made event of Hiroshima (1945). In this thesis, Kathleen Burkinshaw’s historical fiction The Last …

Pathways To Post-Liberal Peacebuilding: A Reconceptualization Through Comparative Analysis, Norhan Ahmed Amin

Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to evaluate the sustainability of peacebuilding through DDR implementation, and the merit of adopting post-liberal peacebuilding approaches to practical interventions in a “New Wars” era, and rapidly changing conflict landscape. It focuses on the evolution of DDR as a response to changing conflict dynamics and as an integral component for peace processes and peacebuilding efforts, amidst a changing theoretical narrative on peacebuilding. As such, it seeks to answer the following questions: Can the theoretical shift to post-liberal peacebuilding invigorate localized peacebuilding processes, and thus reshape the tools applied to become more effective in achieving sustainable peace? Consequently, …

Assessing New Wars Theory In The Post-Arab Spring Era: The Libyan And Yemeni Wars (2011-2020), Shady El-Sherif

Theses and Dissertations

Mary Kaldor’s “New Wars” theory which was first published in 1991 argues that warfare has changed after the Cold War with the growing globalization and the rise of violent non-state actors. According to the theory, globalization augmented certain problems that are considered the main causes of these “new wars” such as; state fragility/failure, identity politics, and war economy methods which all account at present for the continuation of conflicts, especially in the MENA region with more civilian casualties. To assess this theory, I am using a comparative case study methodology with a historical process-tracing approach for the Yemeni and Libyan …

The Social Effect Of The Imf Policies Post Arab-Spring In The Middle East, Noha Nafie

Theses and Dissertations

This study discusses how International Financial Institutions (IFIs), primarily the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have incorporated the social dimension when designing their reform programs in the Middle East. This research explores three case studies of IMF programs in Tunisia, Jordan and Egypt, and examines how the process of designing and implementing social protection programs has changed after the Arab Spring. The Egyptian case study provides an in- depth analysis of the design of Takaful and Karama in particular and its implementation. Moreover, it provides a future outlook on the protection programs in Egypt with implications for the wider MENA region. …

Three Muwahhid City Gates In Morocco, Rasha Ali

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

"Claiming The Mad": Implications Of The Introduction Of The Mental Asylum In Colonial Egypt, Samar Gamal Nour

Archived Theses and Dissertations

What was colonial about colonial psychiatry in Egypt? Recent scholarship on colonial psychiatry opens a new window into this important historical problem and offers significant, if ambiguous, evidence about the practice of what we can call colonial psychology and what was considered pathological (mental) in the colonial context, thereby shedding light on the normal as well and hence elaborates on the proclivity of colonial psychiatry to provide a "naturalized" and pathologjzed accounts of the colonized subjects. The introduction of the modern European asylum in 1884 significantly changed the definition and perception of mental illness and madness in Egypt, as it …

A Normative Nonproliferation And Disarmament Strategy For The Middle East: Prospects And Challenges For The Establishment Of A Weapons Of Mass Destruction Free Zone (Wmdfz), Allison Elblanc

Archived Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the establishment of a zone, free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction (WMDFZ), in the Middle East. It argues that the proposed Middle East zone constitutes a normative regulatory strategy for promoting nonproliferation and disarmament in the region in support of broader, international nonproliferation and disarmament efforts. It addresses the subject of the zone through the lens of Martha Finnemore and Kathryn Sikkink’s norm life cycle model, which asserts that norms first emerge (norm emergence), then spread throughout a given population (norm cascade), and then become internalized as standard practice by members of the population …

Syrian Refugees In Cairo: Livelihood Strategies And Coping Mechanisms, Salma Howeedy

Archived Theses and Dissertations

Close to the entrance of Cairo’s legendary Tahrir Square, a tent adorned with the Syrian flag houses photographs of the brutality of 18 months of atrocities and casualties of the Syrian uprising. My proposed thesis will examine Syrians who migrated to Cairo fleeing the violence in Syria, where escalating battles between rebel forces and the Syrian army continue to push hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians into Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq. UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, estimates it has assisted more than 700,000 registered Syrian refugees in these countries since the revolution kicked off in March 201, a number …

The Political Thought Of Qutb And Khomeini: A Comparative Study, Francisco Fernandez

Archived Theses and Dissertations

This thesis engages a comparative study of the political thought and practice of two of the foremost ideologues of political Islam in the twentieth century: Sayyid Qutb and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The study explores each man’s revolutionary worldview and the strategies they advanced for the effectuation of change. In particular, the study highlights Qutb’s Milestones and Khomeini’s Lectures on Islamic Government. At the outset, an exploration of each man’s intellectual landscape sets the stage for a closer examination. Throughout, it is argued that their quest for a new order, while influenced by a particular reading of history, was informed above …

Ethno-Religious Conflicts And Rebuilding The State In Iraq, 2003-2009, Yong-Ki Jin

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Tolerance In Islamic Architecture, Aya Mohammad El-Hakim

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Occupier's Autocracy: A Contextual Analysis Of The Consolidation Of Authoritarianism In The Palestinian Authority, Adam Simpson

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Tabari's Re-Presentation Of Women During The Madina Period, Kendra C. Hathaway

Archived Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes Abu Jaâ far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabariâ s chronicle (d. 923) History of Prophets and Kings using a gender perspective. It focuses on al-Tabariâ s representation of women during the Madina period, arguing that through such a representation al-Tabari projects his Abbasid gender norms on the women of this period. The thesis focuses on four main subjects in relation to al-Tabariâ s text: the image of rebellious non-Muslim women, â Aâ ishaâ s involvement in the Battle of the Camel, and women as rational and emotional players in the Madina period.

The Right To Self-Determination Of Indigenous Peoples Under International Customary Law, Rosa M. Navarro

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Self-Determination And The Problem Of Territory: A Case For Landless States, Katie Ann Osterloh

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Vision Redux: Power And Policy In Saudi Arabia, Ross Douglas Kimm

Theses and Dissertations

The size and scope of the Vision 2030 modernization plan and the associated Saudi Aramco initial public offering are watershed events in the history of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, they are not outside the history of the country’s development. This thesis, tracing the roots of this latest development plan back to the founding of the current Saudi state, found that Vision 2030 shares many characteristics with previous efforts. Further, it also found precedence for powerful princes rising to power at times of tectonic change. Finally, while historical context is key to understanding this moment in the Kingdom, …

The Insertion Of Syrian Refugees In The Egyptian Labor Market: With Special Focus On Food And Restaurants Sector, Mai Ali Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is about the insertion of Syrian refugees in the Egyptian labor market. It specifically focuses on this insertion in the food and restaurants sector. It reviews the theoretical literature that tackled the economic integration of refugees and asylum seekers. It also examines the legal framework governing refugees in Egypt as well as the legal apparatus provisions related to their employment. Both are factors determining the access of refugees to the Egyptian labor market. The thesis finds that other economic and social factors also determine and facilitate the access of Syrian refugees to the Egyptian labor market. In the …

Do The Tactics Of Armed Groups Affect Organizational Behavior? The Case Of Kidnap For Ransom, Tyler Young

Theses and Dissertations

N/A

A Study Of The Civil Service Law As Part Of Egypt's Administrative Reform, Sarah Hosam Mohamed Said Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

After the 25th January Revolution, change has become a necessary step that Egyptian citizens are enthusiastic to experience and be part of. The revolutionary change shall start by, reforming the local administration and the legal framework. This research paper is aiming to inspect the civil service law (no. 18 for 2015) as a required action from the government towards a successful change in the policies and governmental institutions through proposing Egypt vision for reform. This study plans to explore some international cases on administrative reform and capacity building; that correspond to the Egyptian case and discuss the lessons from such …

Media Policies And The Quest For Freedom Of Expression In Tunisia's Democratic Process, Olfa Rashid El Sellami

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines media policies in the context of Tunisia’s democratic process. It describes and analyzes these policies and to what extent they answer the quest for freedom of expression. The relation between media policies and democratization shows the role of media policy change in enhancing the democratic process and its consolidation. While applying several theories, this study emphasizes the role of free press for a sustainable democracy. The significance of this study is to call attention towards the function and the responsibility of media freedom during the country’s transitional period to be a contributor to the consolidation of policy …

International Agency Implementation Of Women's Empowerment Programs Under Secular And Islamist Governments: Comparative Cases Of Un Women And The International Labour Organization Experiences In Egypt, Whitney Buchanan

Theses and Dissertations

This research compares two international agencies, the UN Women (UNW) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), and their women’s empowerment programs specifically under the Mubarak government during 2010 and under the Morsi government during 2012 to determine how Islamist and secular government support shapes the effectiveness of international agencies’ gender empowerment projects. This project is a “snapshot” of attitudes of particular ILO and UNW staff members from regional and national offices regarding their work during two different time frames, and not the institutional policies, experiences, or positions of he UNW and ILO bodies as a whole. The principal investigator chose …

The Sacred Cow And The New Comer: A Comparative Study Of Nation-State And Umma, Ayat Abdulaty Mohamed

Theses and Dissertations

International relations discipline witnessed debates among its mainstream theories. Today the debate worthy of attention is the Western-centrism of the discipline. There is an immense critique of the Westphalian state order, the nation-state, and the absence of religion in IR theory. This research aspires to partially account for the voids of the IR theory. It engages with the debate over the Western-centrism and the loopholes of IRT. This thesis introduces a non-Western contribution to international relations, an Islamic perspective of IR. This thesis argues that for IR discipline to be truly pluralistic and to claim universality it should be opened …

Qatari Foreign Policy And The Arab Spring: From Mediation To Intervention, Basma Mahmoud Eletreby

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the controversial role that Qatar has been playing in the Arab Spring, specifically from 2011 to 2013. Evidently, Qatari foreign policy will be assessed to comprehend the power this small state has been gaining in Middle East politics in a region plagued by never ending manifestations of power struggles and turbulent developments. The case studies of Egypt, Libya and Syria in which Qatari foreign policy involvement deployed the same rationale will be investigated to examine the increasing involvement of Qatar in Middle East politics. It concludes that the foreign policy of Qatar was both opportunistic and pro-Islamist …

The Egyptian Uprising And April 6th Youth Movement Split, Somaia Metwalli El Sayed

Theses and Dissertations

Few months after the Egyptian uprising, a considerable number of April 6th Youth movement announced their split. Knowing that the movement was already suffering from internal disputes over a number of issues, the research problem is centered on questioning whether and how the uprising played a role in such incident. Academic scholarship on social movements developed partial and action-oriented theories to explain different processes and dynamics of movement’s collective action. However, little work has been done on the trajectory of social movements in the Middle East, especially after radical forms of change as revolutions, uprisings or upheavals. It is argued …

Evaluating The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (Undaf) As A Strategic Programming Tool At The National Level, With Special Reference To Egypt, Rasha Mahmoud

Theses and Dissertations

The unique character of the United Nations (UN) imposes strategic challenges on the organization’s leadership and management structures at the national and the international level. In response to these challenges, the UN reform efforts, introduced in 1997, paved the way for the UN system effectiveness, efficiency and coherence. Emerging from the reform, the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) engages various development stakeholders in identifying and achieving national development priorities. This review found that the UNDAF is an effective strategic instrument that well-positions the UN at the national level and it enhances national capacities and supports national governments in identifying …

From The Forefront To The Sidelines: Youth In Post-Revolution Egypt, Khadiga Omar

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the reasons for the declining role of youth as effective political players since the Egyptian Revolution in 2011. Particularly looking at the “Revolutionary Youth”, this study investigates why their activism over the course of the past four years could not translate into political power that would lead to the realization of the goals of the revolution. Resource Mobilization Theory, Political Opportunity Structure and Framing constitute a tri-lens through which the political experience of the youth is analyzed in this research. This thesis argues that a) the youth’s organizational dilemma; b) their reliance on protest as the exclusive …