Description

Wither the Arabic World?

The author begins with the question: What is the Arab world? The most common answer is that it is a cultural rather than an ethnic reality. Indeed, the Arabs lack real ethnic unity, just as the Spanish or French, commonly called Latins, cannot be considered to be ethnic Romans. Physical types and skin colors are probably more diverse than in any other part of the world, since the Arab peoples, or their ancestors, have been mixing for thousands of years with Mediterraneans, Africans, Indians, Turks, Mongols, Persians, and Europeans. Still, if we look at the cultural elements used to define Arab identity, we are left with a very complex picture. Beyond their cultural, economic, and political differences, the Arab countries face three big challenges: autonomous development, democratization, and regional integration.

Arab nations, Middle East, North Africa, Arab nationalism, Persian Gulf, colonialism and colonization, international relations, U.S.-Middle East relations, Europe

Citation: Social Justice Vol. 23, Nos. 1-2 (1996): 184-202