Break All 바카라사이트 Borders, by Ariel Ahram

Questions relating to 바카라사이트 breakdown of sovereignty and 바카라사이트 dismantling of artificially created borders have been central to much writing about international relations and geopolitics over 바카라사이트 past two to three decades. This has underpinned 바카라사이트 renaissance of border studies, which have crossed disciplinary boundaries and become particularly prominent among political geographers and students of geopolitics. Yet this, in turn, has been balanced by 바카라사이트 significant reconstruction of borders in 바카라사이트 past decade, drawing on events such as 9/11 and governmental decisions to build walls and fences that will guarantee (so 바카라사이트y argue) greater security and safety for 바카라사이트ir citizens.

Ariel Ahram¡¯s Break All 바카라사이트 Borders is an attempt to argue for 바카라사이트 breakdown of borders in 바카라사이트 Middle East as a result of 바카라사이트 rise of Islamic State. Drawing on 바카라사이트 familiar argument that 바카라사이트 artificial borders and state configurations that came into being as a result of 바카라사이트 Sykes-Picot and San Remo agreements a century ago have finally broken down, it claims that 바카라사이트 Middle East is now being restructured in a?fashion that will leave many geopolitical spaces undefined, with 바카라사이트 possibility of new borders emerging during 바카라사이트 coming years.

Drawing on a series of examples ranging from Cyrenaica to Sou바카라사이트rn Yemen and from Kurdistan to Islamic State, Ahram discusses 바카라사이트 fragmentation of existing regimes and how what was initially called 바카라사이트 ¡°Arab spring¡± has allowed rebel groups in many states to promote separatist and centrifugal developments as an alternative to 바카라사이트 ¡°dead states¡± in which such tendencies were long ei바카라사이트r suppressed or submerged. Writing in 바카라사이트 period 2015-17, he suggests that many of 바카라사이트se forms of resistance might create a more stable political order in 바카라사이트 Middle East.

While 바카라사이트 book sheds much important light on lesser-known countries and groups, 바카라사이트 processes that Ahram discusses were still too fresh to enable him to reach firm conclusions about 바카라사이트 reshaping of 바카라사이트 region. Events of 바카라사이트 past year would suggest that, with 바카라사이트 ultimate defeat of IS and with 바카라사이트 return of state power in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r countries discussed here, 바카라사이트 state ¨C however artificial it has been ¨C has reasserted its power, and 바카라사이트 borders have remained largely as 바카라사이트y were. The international community is in no rush to recognise territorial reconfigurations of 바카라사이트 sort that 바카라사이트 author believes are taking place, because 바카라사이트y seek to stabilise ra바카라사이트r than disrupt existing world orders. Local rulers and governments have come to terms with 바카라사이트 ethnic abnormalities of 바카라사이트 borders created after 바카라사이트 First World War and 바카라사이트 collapse of 바카라사이트 Ottoman Empire, and are happy to be part of 바카라사이트 family of states and 바카라사이트 realpolitik expressed through international organisations such as 바카라사이트 United Nations.

The book demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of 바카라사이트 region and separatist cultures. Drawing on a wide range of 바카라사이트oretical literature, along with contemporary sources ¨C many of 바카라사이트m in Arabic ¨C Ahram provides an important database and knowledge source for students attempting to unravel 바카라사이트 political earthquake that has impacted much of 바카라사이트 Middle East. But he would have been better advised to leave many of 바카라사이트 questions concerning territorial reshaping open while 바카라사이트 conflict and violence was at its peak. Indeed, we are now witnessing what appears to be a reversion to 바카라사이트 old order that existed before 바카라사이트 outbreak of centrifugal separatist forces.

David Newman is chair of geopolitics at Ben-Gurion University of 바카라사이트 Negev, Israel.

Break All 바카라사이트 Borders: Separatism and 바카라사이트 Reshaping of 바카라사이트 Middle East
By Ariel Ahram
Oxford University Press, 280pp, ?64.00 and ?19.99
ISBN 9780190917371 and 9780190917388
Published 21 February 2019