This research analyses the reactions of the Gulf monarchies to the mass demonstrations that took place during the Arab Spring, arguing that the Arab Spring motivated Gulf ruling elites to intensify cooperation efforts under their regional alliance, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It hypothesises that the Gulf monarchies utilised the GCC as a vehicle to preserve their regimes during the Arab Spring as its members engaged in collaborative efforts in three areas to sustain and prolong their rule: enhancing regime legitimacy; heightening internal security; and collaborating in a defence scheme. The strengthening of Gulf unity through the GCC organisation proved to be a primary and ongoing strategy employed by all six Gulf governments during and after the Arab Spring and, despite the fact that a closer union compromised the sovereignty of the individual monarchies, this was accepted by all six member states. As such, the case study of Kuwait and its government response to the unrest during the Arab Spring presents an analysis of how one member state restructured its domestic policies to allow the regional alliance greater influence over its foreign and domestic affairs in order to preserve its regime and, ultimately, survive the Arab Spring.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:700759 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Behbehani, Bodour |
| Contributors | Kerr, Michael Robert ; Larkin, Craig Alexander |
| Publisher | King's College London (University of London) |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/surviving-the-arab-spring(b642d7c1-7a93-4db8-a675-385b2123da45).html |
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