Study on the role of identity-oriented actors in the Syrian crisis

• Author: Seyed Ali Asghar Kazemi/Noushin Mirzaee Jegarlouii
• Pages: 64-78

Study on the role of identity-oriented actors in the Syrian crisis

Professor Seyed Ali Asghar KAZEMI1

PhD. Noushin Mirzaee JEGARLOUII2

Abstract

Recent developments in Arab countries have provided new opp ortunities and

possibilities for the transformation of the political climate, security and change the balance

of power in the region. Sin ce the beginning of 2011, the Middle East has witnessed ma jor

developments and serious changes. The main changes resulting from the Arab Spring in the

Middle East can be "crisis develo pment" in the region. Different approaches have been

presented on the reason of the crisis in the Middle East, especially political and security

developments in Syria. By 2011, signs of civil disobedience and political upheaval in the

Middle East have been observed on the agenda of planners. From 2011 onward, id entity

components provided the context for civil disobed ience radicalization and thus social

violence has been formed in the form of security policy of radicalized groups.

Keywords: security crisis of Middle East, the Arab Spring, Identity-Oriented Actors,

Cooperative Security, crisis of identity and legitimacy

JEL Classification: K33

1. Introduction

In Syria, the country's strategic position in the region and the ethnic and

religious structure within the society and the state have made some complexity in the

process of transformation. Syria transformation has been under the dominance of the

religious identification of Salafi groups who’s rooted in the ideology of Ahmad Ibn

Hanbali, Ibn Timiyeh, Mawdudi, Mohammed Abdel Wahab and SayyidQutb. Each

of these approaches have reflected signs of violence, Salafism and dealing with

secular governments in the Arab Spring process.

Social transformations in this geographic area not only lead to escalation of

the crisis and displacement of power, but also provide a context to convert the

political competition to social conflict and civil war. Regional security is another

matter has affected Arabic Spring development. It is obvious that, Arabic Spring

development caused some changes and transformations in the past coalitions and

alliances, and has disturbed former situation largely.

Transformations of Arabic spring have affected the security in the Middle-

east from international aspect. International aspect concerns the role and intervention

1 Seyed Ali Asghar Kazemi – Faculty of Law and Political Sience, Science and Research Branch, Islamic

Azad University, Tehran, Iran, asgharkazemi@yahoo.com

2 Noushin Mirzaee Jegarlouii – Faculty of Law and Political Sience, Science and Research Branch,

Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, mirzaeejegarlouii@yahoo.com