Identity Consequences of Arab Spring and Islamic Awaking in the Southwest Asia; Case study: Syria

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Student of International Relations, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Full Professor of International Relations, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

3 Full Professor of Political Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Intrduction 
Beginning of the Syrian crisis in the Middle East has led new kind of power formation in the reign. Syria crisis realities show that identity has an important and major role in the Middle East crisis. New wave of political change in the Middle East, especially Syria, is based on the identities and political radicalism. In fact, violence and religious radicalism are consequences of political change in the Middle East which has been called sings of Islamic awakening.
 
Methodology
The research is basic in terms of its goal, and casual and descriptive- analytic in terms of method and nature. Data gathering procedure is based on library findings.   
 
Findings
The research findings shows that:
1. Arab Spring changes and its impact on security conflicts of Syria: in this context, the impacts of Arab spring, uncertainty of future and changes in the relationship of actors are discussed. 
2. The role of Takfirist groups in the security crisis of Syria: in addition to ethnic and religious divisions as well as the intervention of the Great Powers, the role of Takfirist groups like ISIS and al-Nusra Front in Syria's security crisis is studied. In fact, Syrian crisis has been influenced by identity-oriented movement of Salafi groups. 
3. The crisis of identity, legitimacy, authority and effectiveness and the formation of political unrest in Syria: the elite's mismanagement, along with other elements of legitimacy and cultural crisis have led to Syria's political crisis. Generally, the Syrian political system does not have structural flexibility. 
4. Role of regional and trans-regional actors in the Syrian crisis: Syria is part of an axis of alliance driven by Russia, Iran and partly China. This axis of alliance is condemned by Turkey; west was Arab Union.
5. Syria crisis management based on the model of Cooperative Security: given the multiplicity of actors, the management of crisis is faced a kind of confrontation between involved actors in the Syrian crisis. The narrow security paradigm and limitation of regional actors do not lead to a desired result in the regional diplomacy and crisis management. The nature of cooperative security is plural which has led regional players to peruse different kind of objectives.
 
Conclusion
The realities of political, social, regional and international structure shows that Syria require to apply new mechanisms in order to control the cumulative threats. It is possible when the Syrian government realize its own inefficiencies and internal structural challenges. Different discourse conflict in Syria has created a kind of antagonism that has deepened divisions in the society. The depth of the divisions has threatened interests, cultures and identity of many countries. That is why achieving an agreement between these identities in the near future seems unlikely, because lack of understanding and self-interested political purposes has prevented the emergence of a peacefully situation.
 

Keywords