1. Post-Colonial States and the Struggle for Identity in the Middle East since World War Two
- Author:
- Samuel Helfont
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy Research Institute
- Abstract:
- The term “post-colonial” has presented a seminal problem for historians of the 20th century Middle East. As this essay will detail, debates over the term have provided an important axis around which discussions of political identity revolve. Following World War Two European power in the Middle East crumbled and a number of post-colonial states emerged. These states often justified their existence in terms of ideologies that were tied to specific post-colonial, political identities. Endless debates have occurred over how much emphasis to put on the post-colonial nature of these states and their political identities. In this essay, I will discuss whether a state’s status as post-colonial matters. If so, how? And what are the consequences? Following a general discussion of debates over post-colonialism, will look more closely at three case studies: Egypt, Iraq, and Iran.
- Topic:
- Development, Islam, Nationalism, and Post Colonialism
- Political Geography:
- Iran, Middle East, and Arab Countries