The Concept of Regional Power
as Applied to the Middle East
Amman/Barcelona
July 2010
Dr. Martin Beck
Content
• 1. Empirical Observation: No regional
power in the Middle East
• 2. Research Question: If not by regional
powers, how then is regional politics
determined in the Middle East?
• 3. Three approaches based on IR schools
of thought
• 4. Empirical Applications
• 5. Conclusion
1. Empirical Observation: No
regional power in the Middle East
• Definitional Elements:
(a) disposal over high capabilities
(b) being integrated into the region and its
fora
(c) acceptance as a regional power
1. Potential Regional Powers
Egypt
Israel
Saudi Iran
Arabia
Turkey
Capabi lities
+
-/+
-/+
-/+
Integra -/+
tion
-
-/+
-
-/+
Accept -/+
ance
-
-/+
-
-/+
2. Research Question
• If not by regional powers, how then is
regional politics determined in the Middle
East?
• Three approaches based on IR schools of
thought:
- Structural Realism (Neo-Realism)
- Institutionalism (Neo-Liberalism)
- Constructivism
3. Three Approaches
School of Structural
Thought Realism
Institutionalism
Constructivism
Basic
Issue
Challenge of Challenge of Regional
Unipolarism Globalisation Identity
Engine
Power
Distribution
Example
(Asia)
Power
Role of
Triangle US, ASEAN
China, Japan
Regional
Cooperation
Regional
Discourse
Shaping
the
Discourse
3. Three Approaches:
Empirical Observations
• 1. Structural Realism
- Power is highly dispersed in the Middle East
- US-American power capabilities in the Middle East are
superior to those of regional actors
• 2. Institutionalism
- Insignificance of regional institutions
- Regional cooperation mostly brokered by the US
• 3. Constructivism
- Identity: No positive joint vision, no shared identity
- Negative shared attitude/ideology of Anti-Americanism
4. Application I: Deriving
Hypotheses for Country Studies
School of
Thought
Structural Institutiona- ConstructiRealism lism
vism
Prognoses of
Regional
Policies of
Potential
Regional
Powers
Preventing the
Emergen
ce of a
Regional
Power
Extraregional
rather than
Regional
Cooperation
Focus on
National (or
Global)
Discourses
4. Application II: Conflict Analysis
School of
Thought
Structural
Realism
Institutiona- Constructilism
vism
Conflict
Character
Power
Conflicts
Nonregulated
Conflicts
Example:
IsraeliIranian
Conflict
Power
Rivalry
Limits of
Zionism
IAEA, NPT, versus
UN Securi- Islamism
ty Council
Identity
Conflicts
5. Conclusion
• The Middle East is a highly disrupted multipolar region
with a low degree of regional cooperation and identity
building. Regional affairs of the Middle East are shaped
in a way Structural Realists believe international affairs
are shaped in general.
• The IR schools produce prognoses on single states‘
behaviour that appear mutually compatible with each
other.
• The IR schools also produce conflict analyses that are
mutually compatible with each other rather than
competetive.
• However, this does not apply to policy advisory.