Volume XIII, Issue 1 February 2019 PERSPECTIVES on TERRORISM Volume 13, Issue 1

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Volume XIII, Issue 1 February 2019 PERSPECTIVES on TERRORISM Volume 13, Issue 1 ISSN 2334-3745 Volume XIII, Issue 1 February 2019 PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 13, Issue 1 Table of Contents Welcome from the Editors...............................................................................................................................1 Articles The Islamic State After the Caliphate..............................................................................................................2 by Truls H. Tønnessen Ideological Infighting in the Islamic State.....................................................................................................12 by Cole Bunzel The Islamic State’s Way of War in Iraq and Syria: From its Origins to the Post Caliphate Era ..................22 by Ahmed H. Hashim Who are the ISIS People? .............................................................................................................................32 by Vera Mironova From Directorate of Intelligence to Directorate of Everything: The Islamic State’s Emergent Amni-Media Nexus .............................................................................................................................................................40 by Asaad Almohammad and Charlie Winter Making Sense of Jihadi Stratcom: The Case of the Islamic State ................................................................53 by Charlie Winter Not Gonna Be Able To Do It: al-Qaeda in Tunisia’s Inability to Take Advantage of the Islamic State’s Setbacks...............................................................................................................................................................62 by Aaron Y. Zelin The Failing Islamic State Within the Failed State of Yemen ..........................................................................77 by Elisabeth Kendall The Islamic State’s Provinces on the Periphery: Juxtaposing the Pledges from Boko Haram in Nigeria and Abu Sayyaf and Maute Group in the Philippines..........................................................................................87 by Jacob Zenn Research Notes Understanding Muslims’ Support for Suicide Bombing in West Africa: A Replication Study...................105 by C. Christine Fair and Samta Savla Resources Counterterrorism Bookshelf: 14 Books on Terrorism & Counter-Terrorism-Related Subjects...................123 by Joshua Sinai Henry Prunckun and Troy Whitford, Terrorism and Counterterrorism: A Comprehensive Introduction to Actors and Actions ......................................................................................................................................130 Reviewed by Joshua Sinai Robin Maria Valeri and Kevin Borgeson (Eds.), Terrorism in America ....................................................132 Reviewed by Joshua Sinai Bibliography: Humanitarian Intervention, Responsibility to Protect, Peacekeeping..............................134 ISSN 2334-3745 I February 2019 PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 13, Issue 1 Compiled and selected by Judith Tinnes Bibliography: Genocide (since 1980) Part 2................................................................................................163 Compiled and selected by Judith Tinnes 475 Academic Theses (Ph.D. and MA) on Countering Violence Extremism (CVE), Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) and Terrorism Prevention..............................................................................................197 Compiled and selected by Ryan Scrivens Recent Online Resources for the Analysis of Terrorism and Related Subjects...........................................229 Compiled and selected by Berto Jongman Announcements Conference Monitor/Calendar of Events....................................................................................................261 Compiled and selected by Reinier Bergema Announcement: Award for Best Ph.D. Thesis Submitted and Defended in 2018......................................271 Words of Appreciation.................................................................................................................................272 About Perspectives on Terrorism..................................................................................................................273 ISSN 2334-3745 II February 2019 PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 13, Issue 1 Welcome from the Editors Dear Reader, We are pleased to announce the release of Volume XIII, Issue 1 (February 2019) of Perspectives on Terrorism, available now at: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/PoT. Our free and independent online journal is a publication of the Terrorism Research Initiative (TRI) and the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) of Leiden University’s Campus The Hague. Now in its thirteenth year, Perspectives on Terrorism has over 8,200 regular e-mail subscribers and many more occasional readers and website visitors worldwide. The Articles of its six annual issues are fully peer reviewed by external referees while its Research and Policy Notes, Special Correspondence and other content are subject to internal editorial quality control. The articles of this Special Issue are the products of a conference held in Oslo 18-19 October 2018, entitled “Jihadism after the Caliphate”. The conference was organized by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), in cooperation with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It brought together leading specialists on the Islamic State and al-Qaida, along with senior policymakers and government analysts from Norway and other countries. This Special Issue on the evolution and future trajectory of the Islamic State has been prepared by Guest Editor Truls H. Tønnessen and his colleagues at FFI, in collaboration with Co-Editors James J.F Forest and Alex P. Schmid. In his introduction to the issue, he argues that the primary strength of the Islamic State is its ability and willingness to exploit conflicts that exist independently of the group, and that specific historical circumstances enabled the dramatic rise of the Islamic State. This is followed by Cole Bunzel’s analysis of ideological infighting within the Islamic State. Ahmed Hashim explains how one of the group’s key traditional strengths has been its ability to relocate to other areas that offered opportunities for territorial control, while Vera Mironova examines critical human resources dimensions of the group. Assad Almohammad and Charlie Winter offer unique insights about Islamic State’s Director of General Security, focusing in particular on his role in media production, which is then followed by Charlie Winter’s analysis of two key Islamic State doctrinal texts on media jihad. The following articles examine the Islamic State’s challenges in specific countries, beginning with Aaron Zelin’s analysis of the group’s setbacks in Tunisia. Then Elisabeth Kendall describes how and why the Islamic State is struggling for traction in Yemen, and this section concludes with Jacob Zenn’s comparative analysis of Islamic State affiliate groups in Nigeria and the Philippines. This issue ofPerspectives on Terrorism also features a Research Note by Christine Fair and Samta Salva examining Muslims’ support for suicide bombings in West Africa. In addition, the Resources section includes our regular contributions from Joshua Sinai (book reviews), Judith Tinnes (bibliographies), Ryan Scrivens (theses), Berto Jongman (web resources), and Reinier Bergema (conference calendar). We also provide our annual Words of Appreciation to all the peer reviewers, Editorial Board members and others who volunteer their time and expertise to make this open-source journal respected and valuable to the scholarly community. ISSN 2334-3745 1 February 2019 PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 13, Issue 1 Articles The Islamic State after the Caliphate by Truls Hallberg Tønnessen Abstract Following the Islamic State loss of most of its territorial control and the fall of its self-declared Caliphate, many have warned that it is too early to declare that the group is defeated. The group has previously been able to come spectacularly back from defeat. However, this article will argue that while the Islamic State is roughly following the same strategy as last time when it was also weakened, it was specific historical circumstances that then en- abled the dramatic rise of the Islamic State. The article will also argue that in order to be successful, the group is dependent on conflicts and root causes that exist independently of the group, but which it can exploit. Keywords: Islamic State, Iraq, Syria, jihadism Introduction The aim of this Special Issue of Perspectives on Terrorism is to discuss various aspects and potential develop- ments for the Islamic State in particular and the jihadi movement in general following the fall of the group’s self-declared Caliphate. The aim of this introductory article is to use the group’s history to highlight some factors that have been important for the evolution of IS and that might be important for its future trajectory. Since the group’s dramatic takeover of Mosul in mid-2014 and the subsequent declaration of the Islamic State and the Caliphate there has been an avalanche of publications on various aspects of the Islamic State.[1] Some of this literature is focused on factors that have been more or less constant throughout the existence of the group, including its ideology and overall strategy.[2] The group currently known as the Islamic State (IS) has a long history and its origin is often traced back to the training camp established by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Herat,
Recommended publications
  • Qatar Signs Pact to Open Offices at Nato
    MONDAY FEBRUARY 15, 2021 RAJAB 3, 1442 VOL.14 NO. 5182 QR 2 Fajr: 4:52 am Dhuhr: 11:48 am FINE Asr: 3:02 pm Maghrib: 5:28 pm HIGH : 28°C LOW : 18 °C Isha: 6:58 pm World 8 Business 9 Sports 13 Trump acquitted on fifth day of Ooredoo posts net profit Al Duhail drub Rayyan 2-0, Qatar second impeachment trial of QR1.1 billion SC win via last-minute penalty MESSAGE FOR AmIR FROM PRESIDENT OF GAMBIA Qatar signs pact to open offices Amir condoles with Argentine president at NATO HQs QNA DOHA Opening of mission offices will bolster Qatar-NATO ties QNA HIS Highness the Amir BRUSSELS of State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani His Highness the Amir of State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has received a written mes- QATAR and the North Atlantic on Sunday sent a cable of sage from President of the Republic of The Gambia Adama Barrow. The message pertains to bilateral Treaty Organization (NATO) condolences to President relations and the ways to support and develop them. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign on Sunday signed an agree- of the Argentine Republic Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani received the message during a meeting with ment to open Qatar’s mission Alberto Fernandez on the Dr Mamadou Tangara, Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of The Gambia and Minister of offices and military represen- death of former Argentine Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, in Doha on Sunday.
    [Show full text]
  • Skandinavias Første Jihadister "
    ! SKANDINAVIAS FØRSTE JIHADISTER " Nyoppdagede primærkilder viser et skandinavisk innslag blant afghanaraberne i 1980-årene. Jihadismen i nord er antakelig eldre enn tidligere antatt. thomas hegghammer Når kom egentlig jihadismen til Skandinavia? en idé om at den voldelige aktiviteten ikke er be- Fenomenet kan fremstå som relativt nytt, siden grenset til aktørens opprinnelsesland. Typiske det kun er de siste ti årene vi har sett islamistiske eksempler på transnasjonal jihadisme er fremmed- terrorangrep og høye antall fremmedkrigere. De krigervirksomhet, voldsangrep utenfor kon- spesielt interesserte vet at jihadistnettverkene i fiktsoner (slik som terrorangrep i Vesten) og Skandinavia er noe eldre og at det allerede i 1990- støttearbeid til slike aktiviteter.2 I denne sammen- årene ble avdekket militante miljøer i både hengen vil derfor ikke-afghanske muslimers Danmark og Sverige. I denne artikkelen skal vi se fremmedkrigerreiser og støttevirksomhet til at jihadismens nordiske røtter går enda lenger til- Afghanistan-krigen falle innenfor begrepet, mens bake, til 1980-årene og krigen i Afghanistan. Nye eksilafghaneres aktiviteter havner utenfor. primærkilder viser at det var kontakt mellom Studien er et biprodukt av et større forsknings- muslimer i Skandinavia og det arabiske fremmed- prosjekt om afghanarabernes historie i 1980- krigermiljøet i Peshawar så langt tilbake som til årene, hvor jeg gikk systematisk gjennom en stor 1985 og at et lite antall personer reiste til Afghani- mengde arabiske primærkilder, slik som bøkene, stan for å sloss. Dette viser at den transnasjonale tidsskrifene og reiseskildringene til de arabiske jihadistbevegelsen nådde Skandinavia relativt tid- fremmedkrigerne i Afghanistan.3 Underveis lig og at miljøene som ble avdekket her i 1990- noterte jeg alle henvisninger til Skandinavia, og årene ikke oppsto i et vakuum.
    [Show full text]
  • Policy Notes for the Trump Notes Administration the Washington Institute for Near East Policy ■ 2018 ■ Pn55
    TRANSITION 2017 POLICYPOLICY NOTES FOR THE TRUMP NOTES ADMINISTRATION THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY ■ 2018 ■ PN55 TUNISIAN FOREIGN FIGHTERS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA AARON Y. ZELIN Tunisia should really open its embassy in Raqqa, not Damascus. That’s where its people are. —ABU KHALED, AN ISLAMIC STATE SPY1 THE PAST FEW YEARS have seen rising interest in foreign fighting as a general phenomenon and in fighters joining jihadist groups in particular. Tunisians figure disproportionately among the foreign jihadist cohort, yet their ubiquity is somewhat confounding. Why Tunisians? This study aims to bring clarity to this question by examining Tunisia’s foreign fighter networks mobilized to Syria and Iraq since 2011, when insurgencies shook those two countries amid the broader Arab Spring uprisings. ©2018 THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY ■ NO. 30 ■ JANUARY 2017 AARON Y. ZELIN Along with seeking to determine what motivated Evolution of Tunisian Participation these individuals, it endeavors to reconcile estimated in the Iraq Jihad numbers of Tunisians who actually traveled, who were killed in theater, and who returned home. The find- Although the involvement of Tunisians in foreign jihad ings are based on a wide range of sources in multiple campaigns predates the 2003 Iraq war, that conflict languages as well as data sets created by the author inspired a new generation of recruits whose effects since 2011. Another way of framing the discussion will lasted into the aftermath of the Tunisian revolution. center on Tunisians who participated in the jihad fol- These individuals fought in groups such as Abu Musab lowing the 2003 U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Population 2019 السكان
    !_ اﻻحصاءات السكانية واﻻجتماعية FIRST SECTION POPULATION AND SOCIAL STATISTICS !+ الســكان CHAPTER I POPULATION السكان POPULATION يعتﺮ حجم السكان وتوزيعاته املختلفة وال يعكسها Population size and its distribution as reflected by age and sex structures and geographical الﺮكيب النوي والعمري والتوزيع الجغراي من أهم البيانات distribution, are essential data for the setting up of اﻻحصائية ال يعتمد علا ي التخطيط للتنمية .socio - economic development plans اﻻقتصادية واﻻجتماعية . يحتوى هذا الفصل عى بيانات تتعلق بحجم وتوزيع السكان This Chapter contains data related to size and distribution of population by age groups, sex as well حسب ا ل ن وع وفئات العمر بكل بلدية وكذلك الكثافة as population density per zone and municipality as السكانية لكل بلدية ومنطقة كما عكسا نتائج التعداد ,given by The Simplified Census of Population Housing & Establishments, April 2015. املبسط للسكان واملساكن واملنشآت، أبريل ٢٠١٥ The source of information presented in this chapter مصدر بيانات هذا الفصل التعداد املبسط للسكان is The Simplified Population, Housing & واملساكن واملنشآت، أبريل ٢٠١٥ مقارنة مع بيانات تعداد Establishments Census, April 2015 in comparison ٢٠١٠ with population census 2010 تقدير عدد السكان حسب النوع في منتصف اﻷعوام ١٩٨٦ - ٢٠١٩ POPULATION ESTIMATES BY GENDER AS OF Mid-Year (1986 - 2019) جدول رقم (٥) (TABLE (5 النوع Gender ذكور إناث المجموع Total Females Males السنوات Years ١٩٨٦* 247,852 121,227 369,079 *1986 ١٩٨٦ 250,328 123,067 373,395 1986 ١٩٨٧ 256,844 127,006 383,850 1987 ١٩٨٨ 263,958 131,251 395,209 1988 ١٩٨٩ 271,685 135,886 407,571 1989 ١٩٩٠ 279,800
    [Show full text]
  • Sweden: Extremism and Terrorism
    Sweden: Extremism and Terrorism On July 31, 2021, Roger Haddad, the deputy chair of the education committee in Sweden’s Parliament, announced that the Romosseskolan school, an Islamic school in Gothenburg, should be shut down because of its “connection to extremism.” The students are reportedly subject to gender segregation in lessons and are required to take part in prayer sessions. After public funding was cut for the school in June, the Islamic Association of Sweden (IFiS), which has been described as a hub for Muslim Brotherhood members, continued to pay the teachers. Gothenburg is particularly vulnerable to radicalization and violent extremism as more than a third of Swedish ISIS fighters have come from the city. (Source: The National) Swedish authorities have also been grappling with terrorists who have come into the country to plot terror attacks. In April 2021, Sweden’s security police arrested Salma K. and Fouad M. for conspiracy to commit a criminal terrorist act in Sweden. The suspects, who claimed they were Afghan refugees, entered Sweden in 2015. However, upon investigation, the Swedish Security Service (SAPO) confirmed the two were not Afghani nationals but were more likely of Iranian nationality and possibly traveled to Europe as a terrorism “sleeper cell.” According to media sources, the two began planning to carry out an attack in January 2021 and are possibly connected to the security agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to SAPO, Iran’s regime conducts intelligence and espionage operations in Sweden. (Sources: Jerusalem Post, Iran Wire) There have also been “lone wolf” terror attacks resulting in casualties in Sweden.
    [Show full text]
  • The Pulitzer Prizes 2020 Winne
    WINNERS AND FINALISTS 1917 TO PRESENT TABLE OF CONTENTS Excerpts from the Plan of Award ..............................................................2 PULITZER PRIZES IN JOURNALISM Public Service ...........................................................................................6 Reporting ...............................................................................................24 Local Reporting .....................................................................................27 Local Reporting, Edition Time ..............................................................32 Local General or Spot News Reporting ..................................................33 General News Reporting ........................................................................36 Spot News Reporting ............................................................................38 Breaking News Reporting .....................................................................39 Local Reporting, No Edition Time .......................................................45 Local Investigative or Specialized Reporting .........................................47 Investigative Reporting ..........................................................................50 Explanatory Journalism .........................................................................61 Explanatory Reporting ...........................................................................64 Specialized Reporting .............................................................................70
    [Show full text]
  • Volume XV, Issue 1 February 2021 PERSPECTIVES on TERRORISM Volume 15, Issue 1
    ISSN 2334-3745 Volume XV, Issue 1 February 2021 PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 15, Issue 1 Table of Content Welcome from the Editors...............................................................................................................................1 Articles Bringing Religiosity Back In: Critical Reflection on the Explanation of Western Homegrown Religious Terrorism (Part I)............................................................................................................................................2 by Lorne L. Dawson Dying to Live: The “Love to Death” Narrative Driving the Taliban’s Suicide Bombings............................17 by Atal Ahmadzai The Use of Bay’ah by the Main Salafi-Jihadist Groups..................................................................................39 by Carlos Igualada and Javier Yagüe Counter-Terrorism in the Philippines: Review of Key Issues.......................................................................49 by Ronald U. Mendoza, Rommel Jude G. Ong and Dion Lorenz L. Romano Variations on a Theme? Comparing 4chan, 8kun, and other chans’ Far-right “/pol” Boards....................65 by Stephane J. Baele, Lewys Brace, and Travis G. Coan Research Notes Climate Change—Terrorism Nexus? A Preliminary Review/Analysis of the Literature...................................81 by Jeremiah O. Asaka Inventory of 200+ Institutions and Centres in the Field of Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Research.....93 by Reinier Bergema and Olivia Kearney Resources Counterterrorism Bookshelf: Eight Books
    [Show full text]
  • Remote Warfare Interdisciplinary Perspectives
    Remote Warfare Interdisciplinary Perspectives ALASDAIR MCKAY, ABIGAIL WATSON & MEGAN KARLSHØJ-PEDERSEN This e-book is provided without charge via free download by E-International Relations (www.E-IR.info). It is not permitted to be sold in electronic format under any circumstances. If you enjoy our free e-books, please consider leaving a small donation to allow us to continue investing in open access publications: http://www.e-ir.info/about/donate/ i Remote Warfare Interdisciplinary Perspectives EDITED BY ALASDAIR MCKAY, ABIGAIL WATSON AND MEGAN KARLSHØJ-PEDERSEN ii E-International Relations www.E-IR.info Bristol, England 2021 ISBN 978-1-910814-56-7 This book is published under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC 4.0 license. You are free to: • Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format • Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material Under the following terms: • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. • NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes. Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission. Please contact [email protected] for any such enquiries, including for licensing and translation requests. Other than the terms noted above, there are no restrictions placed on the use and dissemination of this book for student learning materials/scholarly use. Production: Michael Tang Cover Image: Ruslan Shugushev/Shutterstock A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
    [Show full text]
  • March 2020 MLM
    VOLUME XI, ISSUE 3, MARCH 2020 THE JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION The Past as Escape from The GNA’s Latest Defection: A Precedent: Is Pakistan: TTP Profile of the AQAP’s New the Taliban’s Spokesperson Tripoli Emir: Who is Military Chief Militiaman- Ehsan ullah Khalid Batarfi? Sirajuddin Turned-Diplomat BRIEF Ehsan Fled Mohamed Shaeban Haqqani Ready from Custody ‘al-Mirdas’ for Peace? LUDOVICO SUDHA JOHN FOULKES FARHAN ZAHID DARIO CRISTIANI CARLINO RAMACHANDRAN VOLUME XI, ISSUE 3 | MARCH 2020 Bashir Qorgab—al-Shabaab Veteran al-Shabaab (Radio Muqdisho, March 7; Commander Killed in U.S. Airstrike Jerusalem Post, March 8). John Foulkes Qorgab was born sometime between 1979 and 1982, and was a senior al-Shabaab leader for On February 22, an airstrike carried out by U.S. over a decade, having been one of ten members Africa Command killed a senior al-Shabaab of al-Shabaab’s executive council, as of 2008. leader, Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud (a.k.a. On April 13, 2010, the United States placed Bashir Qorgab) (Radio Muqdisho, March 7). As Qorgab on the list of specially designated global a senior operational commander in the Somali terrorists. The U.S. State Department’s Reward militant group, Qorgab is believed to have been for Justice program offered $5 million for involved in the planning of the attack on the information that led to his arrest in June 2012, military base Camp Simba and its Manda Bay pointing to the fact that he led a mortar attack airstrip used by U.S. and Kenyan forces. The against the then-Transitional Federal attack killed one U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • A Medical Emergency Trafficking Pharmaceuticals from Tunisia to Libya
    This project is funded by the European Union Issue 11 | March 2020 A medical emergency Trafficking pharmaceuticals from Tunisia to Libya Jihane Ben Yahia Summary Significant quantities of authentic medicines are being smuggled into Libya from neighbouring Tunisia by organised crime networks starting in Tunisia’s main medicine hubs: the Central Pharmacy, hospitals and private pharmacies. Their successful enterprise is due to weak links in the control and management of the supply chain of authorised medicines, a situation exacerbated since the 2011 revolution in Tunisia and aided by the current conflict in Libya. From April to Septemer 2018 ENACT’s Regional Organised Crime Observatory (ROCO) for North Africa investigated the problem and this paper explores its complexities and suggests some solutions. Key points • Structural deficiencies in the control of the medicine supply chain in Tunisia have allowed criminal organisations to exploit the system. • The demand in Libya has been met specifically by Tunisia, which produces large quantities of high-quality drugs and is home to well-established international pharmaceutical companies. • The violence resulting from the conflict in Libya has left thousands in need of constant medical care, creating a demand for smuggled medicines. • While medicines have always been smuggled between the two countries, the humanitarian situation in Libya has amplified the problem. • Links with various new armed groups, themselves in need of medicines, have shifted centuries of smuggling practices. RESEARCH PAPER Background representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) and smugglers. Early in 2018 health professionals in Tunisia reported shortages of more than 220 medicines,1 a situation Research into any aspect of transnational organised confirmed by the Tunisia Central Pharmacy (PCT), the crime encounters limitations as the necessary information public body with a monopoly on the importation and is, by definition, hidden.
    [Show full text]
  • Changing a System from Within: Applying the Theory
    CHANGING A SYSTEM FROM WITHIN: APPLYING THE THEORY OF COMMUNICATIVE ACTION FOR FUNDAMENTAL POLICY CHANGES IN KUWAIT A Dissertation Submitted to the Temple University Graduate Board In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by Nasser Almujaibel May 10, 2018 Examining Committee Members: Dr. Nancy Morris, Advisory Chair, MSP / Media and Communication Dr. Brian Creech, Journalism. Media & Communication Dr. Wazhmah Osman, MSP/ Media & Communication Dr. Sean L. Yom, External Member, Political Science ABSTRACT Political legitimacy is a fundamental problem in the modern state. According to Habermas (1973), current legitimation methods are losing the sufficiency needed to support political systems and decisions. In response, Habermas (1987) developed the theory of communicative action as a new method for establishing political legitimacy. The current study applies the communicative action theory to Kuwait’s current political transformation. This study addresses the nature of the foundation of Kuwait, the regional situation, the internal political context, and the current economic challenges. The specific political transformation examined in this study is a national development project known as Vision of 2035 supported by the Amir as the head of the state. The project aims to develop a third of Kuwait’s land and five islands as special economic zones (SEZ). The project requires new legislation that would fundamentally change the political and economic identity of the country. The study applies the communicative action theory in order to achieve a mutual understanding between different groups in Kuwait regarding the project’s features and the legislation required to achieve them. ii DEDICATION ﻟﻠﺤﺎﻟﻤﯿﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ اﻟﻨﻮم ... اﻟﻌﺎﻣﻠﯿﻦ ﺑﻌﺪه iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To my parents, my wife Aminah, and my children Lulwa, Bader, and Zaina: Your smiles made this journey easier every day.
    [Show full text]
  • In Colonial Bahrain: Beyond the Sunni / Shia Divide
    THREATS TO BRITISH “PROTECTIONISM” IN COLONIAL BAHRAIN: BEYOND THE SUNNI / SHIA DIVIDE A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Georgetown University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Arab Studies By Sarah E. A. Kaiksow, M.St. Washington, D.C. April 24, 2009 I would like to thank Dr. Judith Tucker and Dr. Sara Scalenghe for inspiration and encouragement. ii Copyright 2009 by Sarah E. A. Kaiksow All Rights Reserved iii TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction 1 Research Focus 2 Periodization 7 Archives 9 II. Background 12 The al-Khalifa and the British 12 Economy & Society of an island thoroughfare 17 Trade, pearls, date gardens, fish, and fresh water springs 17 Baharna, Huwala, Persians, Najdis, Thattia Bhattias, and Jews 20 III. Threats on the Ground: Saud-Wahabis in the Nineteenth Century 24 Uncertain allies (1830-1831) 24 First interventions (1850-1850) 26 Saud-Wahabis, Persia, and the Ottomans (1860-1862) 29 Distinctive registers 33 A new role for Britain (circa 1920) 34 The case for internal “reform” (1920-1923) 36 The “Najdi” crisis (April, 1923) 44 Debating the threats (May, 1923) 48 Forced succession (May 26, 1923) 50 Pearling industry and reforms (1915-1923) 52 Resistance to colonial reform (June – September, 1923) 55 Dawasir Exodus (October, 1923) 59 Consolidating the state (1926-1930) 61 IV. Persia and State Consolidation in the Twentieth Century 64 V. Conclusion 66 Bibliography 75 iv I. Introduction In the early months of 1923, the Under Secretary
    [Show full text]