The Modern Post-Colonial Arab State: Arab Nationalist or Authoritarian?

Imane Drissi El-Bouzaidi

April 20, 2011

            The 2011 mass uprisings have revolutionized the Arab world and have evoked immense debate regarding the origins. The al-Jazeera chief, Wadah Khanfar, says that the reason lies in the fact that “the modern post-colonial Arab state has failed miserably.”[1] Some understand this to mean that Arab nationalism has failed because these present regimes are sometimes associated with Arab nationalist regimes like that of Gamal Abdel Nasser. However, this paper will contest that interpretation by saying that Khanfar was not referring to Arab nationalist states but rather these modern post-colonial Arab states are authoritarian but not Arab nationalist. Arab nationalism failed in the 1960s and 70s and cannot be attributed to the present uprisings. Ultimately this paper will argue that both Arab Nationalism and authoritarianism have failed; however, it is only the failure of authoritarianism that has caused the current “Arab spring.” In order to explain this argument, the essay will be structured in three parts. The first will outline how Arab nationalism has failed; the second will explain how the modern Arab states are authoritarian and not Arab nationalist; and the third will discuss the failure of authoritarianism.

Mustafa Kemal: The Process of Building a Nation Without Religion

Imane Drissi El-Bouzaidi

February 14, 2011

What challenges did Middle Eastern “nation builders” such as Ataturk, Sa’d Zaghlul, Arab Nationalists or the Zionists face in the early twentieth century?

            The dissolution of the Ottoman Empire led to the rise of nationalist movements around the Middle East and the emergence of leaders committed to building independent nation-states. Although there were many nation-builders that were historically influential, this paper will focus on Mustafa Kemal Pasha and his role in building the Turkish state. Mustafa Kemal, later known as Ataturk (“father of the Turks”), is recognized as the founder of Turkey and its first president. After World War I, the Grand National Assembly was formed, the Sultanate was separated from the Caliphate and both were later abolished. As Ataturk began creating the Turkish state he initiated radical reforms based on secularism and faced many challenges as a result. When founding Turkish independence in the early twentieth century, Kemal Ataturk perceived religion to be the most difficult challenge to his rule and dealing with this threat led him to create changes that are still prominent in the modern Middle East.