The Arab Spring and the Prolonged National Integration in Yemen; a Critical Discussion

Abstract

This study examines how the Arab Spring affects the national integration in Yemen. Despite the Arab Spring’s bringing forth tangible democratic transitions through inclusive democratic elections in Tunisia and Egypt, it created a social and political divide more than the previous time through diminishing the likelihood of national integration in Yemen. Some scholarly debates ascribe Arab Spring to Yemen’s lagging for national integration. However, others are on the opinion that Yemen never could realize a sustainable national integration due to its going through a perennial authoritarian or autocratic rule like some other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and a long territorial and ideological division, as well as manifold power-seeking sections. The Arab Spring just exacerbated the remaining disintegration. This study holds on to the latter consideration and firstly, discusses the pre-Arab Spring territorial and political schism in Yemen. Then, it examines facts that triggered political fragmentation and instability in Yemen during and in the aftermath of the Arab Spring leaving little hope for the country to step into a successful national integration in near future. The main aim of this paper is to illustrate how a regional or global event impact potential national integration of a country that is heavily divided socially, politically, and ideologically along with corruption and state controlled civil society.

Keywords

• Arab Spring
• National Integration
• Divide
• Yemen
• Power Seekers

Arap Baharı ve Yemen'de Uzun Süreli Ulusal Bütünleşme: Eleştirel Bir Tartışma

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Arap Baharı'nın Yemen'deki ulusal entegrasyonu nasıl etkilediğini incelemektedir. Arap Baharı'nın Tunus ve Mısır'daki kapsayıcı demo-kratik seçimler yoluyla somut demokratik geçişler getirmesine rağmen, Yemen'de ulusal entegrasyon olasılığını azaltarak ön önceki zamandan daha fazla sosyal ve politik bir bölünme yarattı. Bazı bilimsel tartışmalar, Arap baharını Yemen'in ulusal entegrasyon için gecikmesine bağlıyor. Ancak diğerleri, Yemen'in diğer bazı KİK ülkeleri gibi daimi otoriter veya otokratik bir yönetimden geçmesi, uzun bir bölgesel ve ideolojik bölünme ve çeşitli güç arayışları nedeniyle sürdürülebilir bir ulusal entegrasyonu asla gerçekleştiremeyeceği görüşünde. Arap Baharı, kalan parçalanmayı daha da şiddetlendirdi. Bu çalışma, ikinci değerlendirme üzerinde durmakta ve ilk olarak, Yemen'deki Arap baharı öncesi bölgesel ve siyasi bölünmeyi tartışmaktadır. Ardından, Arap Baharı sırasında ve sonrasında Yemen'de siyasi parçalanma ve istikrarsızlığı tetikleyen gerçekleri incelemektedir. Ondan sonra, Arap Baharı sırasında ve sonrasında Yemen'de siyasi parçalanma ve istikrarsızlığı tetikleyen gerçekler incelenerek, ülkenin yakın gelecekte başarılı bir ulusal entegrasyona adım atması için çok az umut bırakmaktadır. Bu makalenin temel amacı, bölgesel veya küresel bir olayın, yolsuzluk ve devlet kontrolündeki sivil toplum ile birlikte sosyal, politik ve ideolojik olarak büyük ölçüde bölünmüş bir ülkenin potansiyel ulusal entegrasyonunu nasıl etkilediğini göstermektir.

Keywords

• Arap Baharı
• Ulusal Entegrasyon
• Bölmek
• Yemen
• Güç Arayanlar

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