The Middle East’s Restive Minorities

Ruling elites in the region aim to subdue minorities rather than include them in the political process.

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The Middle East is a religiously and ethnically diverse region. Its complex history has only intensified these divisions, especially after the rise of modern nation-states in the 20th century. In each of these countries, a dominant ethnic and religious group seized power, invariably failing to integrate the other components of society into the political system. […]

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Hilal Khashan
Hilal Khashan is a contributing analyst at Geopolitical Futures. He is a Professor of political science at the American University of Beirut and a respected author and analyst of Middle Eastern affairs. He is the author of six books, including Hizbullah: A Mission to Nowhere. (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2019.) He is currently writing a book titled Saudi Arabia: The Dilemma of Political Reform and the Illusion of Economic Development. He is also the author of more than 110 articles that appeared in journals such as Orbis, The Journal of Conflict Resolution, The Brown Journal of World Affairs, Middle East Quarterly, Third World Quarterly, Israel Affairs, Journal of Religion and Society, Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, and The British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies.