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Has the Question of Palestine Passed? A Neorealist Analysis of the Potentials for Regional Cooperation in the Middle East

Ivaz, Lacramioara LU (2022) SIMZ41 20221
Graduate School
Abstract (Swedish)
The question of Palestine remains one of the most salient dilemmas for policymakers and scholars interested in Middle Eastern and international affairs due to its protracted nature, the many structural limitations it is subject to, and the human and material costs it continues to generate. This thesis explores the current opportunities for regional cooperation in the MENA region around the Palestinian statehood cause from an International Relations and Diplomacy perspective. Drawing upon data generated through 20 interviews with Palestinian intellectuals, in conjunction with existent statistical data on Palestinian public opinion, I sketch a comprehensive image of the current state of the Palestinian national struggle, as well as of the... (More)
The question of Palestine remains one of the most salient dilemmas for policymakers and scholars interested in Middle Eastern and international affairs due to its protracted nature, the many structural limitations it is subject to, and the human and material costs it continues to generate. This thesis explores the current opportunities for regional cooperation in the MENA region around the Palestinian statehood cause from an International Relations and Diplomacy perspective. Drawing upon data generated through 20 interviews with Palestinian intellectuals, in conjunction with existent statistical data on Palestinian public opinion, I sketch a comprehensive image of the current state of the Palestinian national struggle, as well as of the broader Middle Eastern interstate relations.
Engaging with the neorealist thought, I argue that the behaviors of neighboring Arab countries are driven by pragmatic thinking and security calculations which materialize in actions and stances that appear counterproductive to advancing the Palestinian cause. A key factor explaining the contrast between the prevalence of pragmatism at the decision-making level and the continued widespread solidarity cultivated by regional peoples consists of the authoritarian rule governing most regional polities. The results of this study emphasize an increased internationalization of the Palestinian cause, which has been assessed using insights from anti-imperialist thought. The intellectual and policy-making debate around the Two-State solution/One-state solution, intrinsic to any theoretical discussion of the Palestinian question, is explained by employing the Foucauldian binary power/knowledge. (Less)
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author
Ivaz, Lacramioara LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMZ41 20221
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
language
English
id
9093218
date added to LUP
2023-06-22 09:52:51
date last changed
2023-06-22 09:52:51
@misc{9093218,
  abstract     = {{The question of Palestine remains one of the most salient dilemmas for policymakers and scholars interested in Middle Eastern and international affairs due to its protracted nature, the many structural limitations it is subject to, and the human and material costs it continues to generate. This thesis explores the current opportunities for regional cooperation in the MENA region around the Palestinian statehood cause from an International Relations and Diplomacy perspective. Drawing upon data generated through 20 interviews with Palestinian intellectuals, in conjunction with existent statistical data on Palestinian public opinion, I sketch a comprehensive image of the current state of the Palestinian national struggle, as well as of the broader Middle Eastern interstate relations.
Engaging with the neorealist thought, I argue that the behaviors of neighboring Arab countries are driven by pragmatic thinking and security calculations which materialize in actions and stances that appear counterproductive to advancing the Palestinian cause. A key factor explaining the contrast between the prevalence of pragmatism at the decision-making level and the continued widespread solidarity cultivated by regional peoples consists of the authoritarian rule governing most regional polities. The results of this study emphasize an increased internationalization of the Palestinian cause, which has been assessed using insights from anti-imperialist thought. The intellectual and policy-making debate around the Two-State solution/One-state solution, intrinsic to any theoretical discussion of the Palestinian question, is explained by employing the Foucauldian binary power/knowledge.}},
  author       = {{Ivaz, Lacramioara}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Has the Question of Palestine Passed? A Neorealist Analysis of the Potentials for Regional Cooperation in the Middle East}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}