Abstracts

03RegimeInsecurity:UnderstandingtheRootsofConflictintheGulf

AbstractThe resolution of the conflicts in the Gulf region requires an understanding, on the part of each of the regional states, of the security concerns of the others. Security concerns have provided the dynamic which has driven conflict, rather than the factors of Sunni-Shiite rivalry and antipathy — or perhaps ideological rivalry or competition in oil markets — which are often given attention. Since the Arab Spring in 2011, for the Arab monarchies of the Gulf, the change in legitimacy discourse has been fundamental. Security in all cases is a defining factor in the process — both in terms of the dynamics which brought the process into being, and as an instrument subsequently used to rally popular support and ensconce a new national political base/formation. In Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, key leaders have shaped new narratives based on the security imperative, where the strategy combines defending the state, securing the future of the regime, strengthening the leader’s own position within the ruling hierarchy, and seeking to resolve some of the problems undermining and weakening the coherence of the state. External powers intent on engaging productively with the region need to recognize the central role played by regime insecurity, and to promote regional frameworks of pan-Gulf cooperation which can provide assurance to the regimes and lessen the insecurities.

KeyWordsConflicts in the Gulf; Regime Insecurity; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates

AuthorTim NIBOCK, Ph.D., Professor, University of Exeter; Honorary Adviser, Middle East Studies Institute, Shanghai International Studies University.

16TheRegionalGame:TheProxyStrategyofSaudiArabiaandIran

AbstractIn recent years, Saudi Arabia and Iran have made full use of proxy strategy in their respective regional rivalry. The reasons for Saudi and Iran’s proxy games include geopolitical differences, sectarian strife and structural contradictions between the two countries on the one hand, and the needs of proxy itself for external forces to achieve political and religious ambition on the other hand. Saudi and Iranian proxy strategy exacerbates the deterioration of political ecosystem in the Middle East, speeds up the shaping of the regional camps and the cold war pattern, and intensifies confrontation among regional powers. It is foreseeable that the relations between the activators, the proxy and the great powers within and outside the region will affect the proxy strategy

KeyWordsSaudi Arabia; Iran; Proxy Strategy

AuthorsCHEN Xiang, Ph.D. Candidate, Research Center of China’ Peripheral Security and Cooperation, Central China Normal University; XIONG Yanhua, Lecturer, College of Technology, Hubei Engineering University.

29Iran’sBasijMilitia:HistoricalEvolutionandTransformation

AbstractThe Basij militia was established by the order of Ayatollah Khomeini, with his original intention of mobilizing people to actively defend the regime and consolidate its basis. Afterwards, Under Ali Khamenei’s and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s instruction, the Basij militia streamed to be a type of political conservative force. Since Hassan Rohani took presidency, the Basij has been well characterized by its grassroots, hierarchy, revolutionariness and versatility. In recent years, the Basij also got involved in Iran’s military operations and economic construction in Syria and Iraq, which has become a pretext of the Trump administration against Iran.

KeyWordsBasij Militia; Iranian Politics; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

AuthorWANG Guobing, Ph.D. Candidate, Institute of Middle East Studies, Northwest University.

43TheKafa’ainOman:SocialFoundations,PracticesandProspects

AbstractWith the introduction of freedom and equality and other modern concepts of the West, people in the Middle Eastern countries came to realize the inequality ofkafa’a. Based on historical evolution ofkafa’a, this paper examines the basis ofkafa’ain Omani society from aspects of tribal structure, Islam, patriarchy and demographic composition, and analyzes the challenges and prospects ofkafa’ain the modern social transformation of Oman, aimed at providing a new perspective for understanding the modernization process and social changes in Oman.

KeyWordsOman; Social Changes;Kafa’a

AuthorsFAN Mingfang, Professor, School of Marxism, Northwestern Polytechnical University; WU Xiaohan, Master Degree Candidate, School of Marxism, Northwestern Polytechnical University.

56PoliticalSystemTransformationandTurkey’sPoliticalChoice:FromParliamentarySystemtoPresidentialSystem

AbstractTurkey’s 2014 presidential election put presidential reform on the agenda. The success of the 2017 constitutional referendum led Turkey into a period of transition from a parliamentary system to a presidential system. The 2018 presidential election officially marked the end of the Turkish parliamentary system and the beginning of a presidential system. However, the creation of “New Turkey” still faces uncertainty. This article focuses on: Why Turkey chose the parliamentary system in early days of its founding; Why the debate of presidential system has emerged since the 1970s; What changes have been made to Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s presidential system; Why this transition happened; and what are the opportunities and challenges that the presidential system will bring to Turkey. This article aims at enriching the understanding of “Turkish path of political development” and “Turkish democracy transformation”.

KeywordsTurkey; Parliamentary System; Presidential System; Democracy Transformation; Path of Political Development

AuthorYANG Chen, Ph.D., Lecturer, Department of History and Center for Turkish Studies, Shanghai University.

70TurkishGülenMovementfromthePerspectiveofCivilSociety:AReview

AbstractThe Gülen movement, as a civil society organization, relies on financial contribution. It emphasizeshizmetas a priority and comes into a huge community whose members can be subdivided into three circles: the core leaders, the affiliates and the sympathizers. The Gülen movement has scored great achievements in education, media, finance, economy and public services based on principles of autonomy and voluntary. The movement also participates in party politics in Turkey and launches power game with ruling party which suggests that it is beyond basic function of civil society organization. The expansion of the Gülen movement all over the world has aroused widespread doubt about its exporting Islam and recreating glory of the Ottoman Empire. There is also suspect that the Gülen movement has a special relationship with the United States. This led to challenges facing the movement in the world.

KeyWordsCivil Society; Turkey; Gülen Movement

AuthorLI Yanzhi, Ph.D., Professor, History Department, Liaoning University.

87TheAleviIssueinTurkey:HistoricalEvolutionandReconciliation

AbstractTurkish Alevis, as an Islamic Shiite branch, originated in Anatolia, were subjected to long religious discrimination and political oppression during the Ottoman Empire. After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, secularization and modernization reform relieved the inequality out of religious discrimination and political oppression of the Alevis, as well as an impact on religious institutions and belief system of the Alevis, the rapid decline of religious tradition deeply troubled the Alevis with the crisis of identity. In order to divest their marginalized social status, the Alevis seek to restore their traditional religious culture and belief system as a positive response to this challenge. The Alevi revival movement promoted the return of identity and the establishment of citizens’ organizations, and the pursuit of the cultural identity was transformed into a political appeal. As a result, the Alevi issue entered the public space of Turkish society and had to build a dialogue mechanism for the Alevis’ reconciliation process.

KeyWordsAlevi; Alevi Problem; Turkey; Justice and Development Party

AuthorYANG Yulong, Ph.D. Candidate, History College, Northwest University.

103ThinkTanksinTurkey:DevelopmentsandInfluences

AbstractTurkey is one of the first countries in the Middle East that established think tanks, which have been playing an increasingly active role in affecting policy making both in domestic and diplomatic issues in Turkey. This article examines the development of Turkish think tanks, their basic types and its implications to Sino-Turkish relations. Turkish think tanks have witnessed rapid development since 2000. Under the influences of Turkeu’s domestic politics, its think tanks have shaped their characteristics and encountered problems, such as the aspects of their relations with the government, ideology, and human resources. This article categorizes Turkish think tanks in modern times into two main types, private thinks tanks and think tanks affiliated to educational or academic institutions. Turkish think tanks influence the Republic’s internal and diplomatic policy making through seven ways. The “Belt and Road” Initiative has deepened Sino-Turkish relations, and the communication and partnership of think tanks between China and Turkey in particular.

KeyWordsThink Tanks; Turkey; Domestic Issues and Diplomacy; Sino-Turkish Relations

AuthorWANG Jiani, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Fellow, School of International Relations and Public Affairs and Center for the Study of Religion and China’s National Security, Fudan University.