Articles
The rentier state in an age of political transformation:
obstacle to democratization,
forgotten by the political elite
This article seeks to explore two concerns
facing what has become popularly referred to
as the ‘Arab Spring’. The first concern relates
to these countries as rentier states, while the
second concern relates to ignoring this issue,
as an obstacle to democratic change, by the
political elite. Rentier state poses an obstacle
to democratic change because of its ties with
tyranny, as a method of ruling, which in turn
enables regimes to control social resources
and dedicate them to serve these regimes›
interests without any accountability. Indeed, this
is linked to the socio-economic class structure
of these states which is directly connected to
the interests of the authority, and consequently
becomes conflicting with the development of a
democratic state. In the absence of the political
elite addressing this issue and others, changing
state structure and the attitude of those in power
who dictate institutions and economic structures,
in addition to the issue of political change, they
become all key conditions towards a democratic
state. This article is an introduction to a research
paper which will be published in the future.
By: Majd Jammoul
The role of Syrian women
in transitional justice
that the equal participation of women with men
is a key factor in determining the future of the
Syrian state in which the demands of Feminist
organizations must be addressed in order to
take an active role during transitional justice.
This article emphasises the importance of
the participation of women in transitional justice,
arguing that it is one of the many forms of political
participation. It is therefore imperative to prepare
for this stage on every level. This article argues
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Delta-N Journal
Summary Edition - June 2014
By: Alia Ahmad