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Political Identity and its Impact on the Foreign Policy of the States of the Middle East
 
PIIS086919080009039-9-1
DOI10.31857/S086919080009039-9
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Irina D. Zvyagelskaya 
Occupation: Professor
Affiliation: Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Russian Academy of Sciences
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Anastasia Bogacheva
Occupation: Senior Research Assistant
Affiliation: Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Russian Academy of Sciences
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Alexey Davydov
Occupation: Research Fellow
Affiliation: Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Russian Academy of Sciences
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Ibragim Ibragimov
Occupation: Junior Research Fellow
Affiliation: Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Russian Academy of Sciences
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Liudmila Samarskaia
Occupation: Junior Research Fellow
Affiliation: Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Russian Academy of Sciences
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Irina A. Svistunova
Occupation: Senior Researcher, Center for Middle East Studies
Affiliation: Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO)
Address: 23, Profsoyuznaya Str., Moscow 117997, Russian Federation
Nikolay Y. Surkov
Occupation: Senior Researcher, Center for Middle East Studies
Affiliation: Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO)
Address: 23, Profsoyuznaya Str., Moscow 117997, Russian Federation
Journal nameVostok. Afro-Aziatskie obshchestva: istoriia i sovremennost
EditionIssue 2
Pages55-73
Abstract

<em >At the beginning of the XXI century crisis of statehood and numerous conflicts in the Middle East have resulted in an increase of identities' politicization. Groups that identify themselves by common ethnic, religious and confessional characteristics and formulate political demands on this basis have become more active and politically pronounced.

<em >The use of identities to achieve political goals shows that the existing differences between them are not primary drivers of conflict; they can turn into such drivers only in the process of politicization. Accordingly, attempts to explain the policy of states and non-state actors exclusively through the primordial conflict of identities are unproductive. At the same time, political identity may be used instrumentally by the states in a search for allies and sympathizers.

<em >Middle East States give examples of both the "classical" version of ideological and party affiliation, mainly introduced by the West, and the politicization of local identities. The authors use case-studies (Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Iran) to estimate their correlation within countries, as well as their impact on respective foreign policies.

<em >If in Turkish society political self-identification on an ideological basis prevails, in Syria confessional identities have come to the fore during the conflict. In Lebanon the confessional system still provides the functioning of institutions. In Israel, where religion is the most important element of national identity, there is a symbiosis of secular ideologies and religious discourse. In Iran the revolution has turned Islamic-Shiite identity into a major component of the "official ideology".

<em >The use of the identity factor in foreign policy is situational. Emphasis put on religious or confessional identity can be eagerly embraced by some local actors, but can be perceived as anachronistic and as an obstacle to potential cooperation by international players. Nevertheless, forecasting the development of conflict trends in the region is hardly possible without taking into account the impact of political identity.

Keywordspolitical identity, Middle East, ideology, multiple identities, modern and traditional factors, foreign policy, conflicts, international relations
Received31.03.2020
Publication date20.04.2020
Number of characters45961
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1 ВВЕДЕНИЕ Проявления политической идентичности столь же многочисленны, сколь многочисленны группы, идентифицирующие себя по общим идеологическим, этническим, религиозным, конфессиональным, племенным, расовым, территориальным, гендерным признакам и формулирующие на этой основе политические требования. «Политическая идентичность формируется в процессе политизации этих идентичностей, вовлечения их носителей в отношения, связанные с реализацией политических интересов, и становится, таким образом, одной из важнейших категорий, позволяющих концептуализировать динамику общественных отношений», – отмечала российский исследователь И.С. Семененко [Идентичность…, 2017, с. 72].
2 Современные политологические исследования сфокусированы на том, каким образом проявляют себя культура и идентичность, «как они конструируются, изобретаются и коммерциализируются в качестве средств достижения политических целей» [Coate, Thiel, 2010, p. 3].
3 К понятию «политическая идентичность» тесно примыкает политика идентичности, обозначающая борьбу ущемленных в социальном и политическом отношении групп за общественное признание и политическое представительство [Diamond, 2012, p. 64].
4 Политика идентичности берет за основу те характеристики группы, которые отличают ее от остального общества. Известный российский этнолог В.А. Тишков отмечал, что социально-культурные общности можно рассматривать как социальные конструкции, суть которых «составляет разделяемое индивидуумами представление о принадлежности к общности, или идентичность, а также возникающая на ее основе солидарность» [Тишков, 1997, c. 28]. Политика идентичности превращает политические, правовые и культурные запросы таких социальных групп в политическую программу [Kalın, 2006].
5 Повышенное внимание специалистов к данной проблеме далеко не случайно. Политическая идентичность – одна из ключевых характеристик общественных отношений, не только отличающая политические системы, но и влияющая на внешнеполитическое поведение различных акторов международных отношений. Внешнеполитические стратегии государств, поиск ими союзников и партнеров нередко предполагают использование идентичности как политического инструмента. По мнению Кристины Коуш, представляющей американский Фонд Маршалла в Германии, «политические элиты во всем мире пользуются растущей привлекательностью политики идентичности, обращающейся к конкретным группам …» [Kausch, 2018, p. 49].
6 Политизация идентичностей и их борьба за справедливое представительство и доступ к ресурсам в принципе тесно связаны. Некоторые западные авторы даже склонны сводить политику идентичности к попытке «преодолеть отсутствие политического представительства» или к стремлению «трансформировать массу разнообразных предпочтений в политический курс через институты представительства ...» [Dalgliesh, 2013, p. 73].

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