Protection amid Chaos: The Creation of Property Rights in Palestinian Refugee Camps, by Nadya Hajj

Book Review: Protection amid Chaos: The Creation of Property Rights in Palestinian Refugee Camps by Nadya Hajj New York: Columbia University Press, 2016, pp. 21

Understanding Hamas' Electoral Victory in Palestine: Causes and Consequences

The University Archives has determined that this item is of continuing value to OSU's history.Rex Brynen, chair of the Middle East Studies Program at McGill University, argues that Hamas won an overwhelming victory in Palestine not because it ran on an Islamist platform, and perhaps contrary to conventional wisdom, not because it was explicitly against the peace process with Israel. Rather, Hamas won in Palestine for two main reasons. First, it conducted an excellent electoral campaign with good organization, solid candidates, and clear message to the electorate. Second, it promised good and clean governance. Hence, Hamas' strength was its platform against corruption and for social welfare.Ohio State University. Mershon Center for International Security StudiesEvent webpage, photos, lecture summar

Back to the future : the Arab uprisings and state (re)formation in the Arab world

This article contributes to debates that aim to go beyond the “democratization” and “post-democratization” paradigms to understand change and continuity in Arab politics. In tune with calls to focus on the actualities of political dynamics, the article shows that the literatures on State Formation and Contentious Politics provide useful theoretical tools to understand change/continuity in Arab politics. It does so by examining the impact of the latest Arab uprisings on state formation trajectories in Iraq and Syria. The uprisings have aggravated a process of regime erosion – which originated in post-colonial state-building attempts – by mobilizing sectarian and ethnic identities and exposing the counties to geo-political rivalries and intervention, giving rise to trans-border movements, such as ISIS. The resulting state fragmentation has obstructed democratic transition in Syria and constrained its consolidation in Iraq.PostprintPeer reviewe

Sanctuary and survival the PLO in Lebanon

xiv, 255 p.; 22 cm