Reciting Colonial Scripts: Colonialism, Globalization and Democracy in the Decolonized

1. Problem/Puzzle & Research Questions

How have colonialism as well as the successive globalization/imperialism fiddled or tinkered with national identity, geographic boundaries, as well as civil society? These are the factors that are of great relevance to democratization.

2. Theories & Concepts: existing research that the author builds upon or refutes in order to develop their own argument.

The author of the present study assesses some of the key issues that affect nations in the Middle East as they seek to transform into democratic jurisdictions. Towards this end, the author’s assertions are founded upon the concerns that have over time undermined the civil society notion.

3. Main Argument

In addition to being civilized, the Middle East’s indigenous people are not held hostage by traditions that get in the way of self-determination. Further, religion (i.e. Islam) is founded on some basic democratic ideals that do not complicate self-determination. On that basis, we could speculate that the problem lies with the current regimes and globalization realities.

4. Empirical Evidence

There is sufficient empirical evidence presented systematically in support of the viewpoints of the author, i.e. the region’s colonial history.

5. Structure (broader/surrounding economic/political/social factors that shape people's behaviors and decisions.)>>Interactions(How actors deal with structures)>>Actors(Individual or Groups)

The peoples of the Middle East experienced severe oppression from colonial administrators. Although liberation took place later on, the fact that national forces that toppled the colonial administration embraced defensive ideologies effectively means that they effectively became as ruthless as the regimes they had toppled. In that regard, therefore, the peoples of Middle East never really encountered true liberation.

6. Surprising/Interesting Insights

The mutation of anti-imperial regimes into ruthless formations that became as oppressive as the colonial administration.

7. Critique, Questions

The article ought to have delved deeper into how globalization serves as a stumbling block to self-determination. This is an issue that has been lightly evaluated.

8. Connections (Connect the article to anything around United State)

In its most conservative form, Islam deems western democracy as a modern agenda through which countries such as the United States seek to advance hegemony in the Middle East. This is despite the fact that Islam largely promotes consultative decision-making (as per the principle of shura).

References

Alkadry, M.G. (2002). Reciting Colonial Scripts: Colonialism, Globalization and Democracy in the Decolonized Middle East. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 24(4), 739-762.