Democratization in the Gulf Countries and the United States (2000-2008)

DEMOCRATIZATION IN THE GULF COUNTRIES The research study is a valuable contribution to the existing knowledge about the Gulf region and the Middle East. It covers one of the major concerns of all the sociologists, political scientists, and scholars of the relevant social sciences interested in the region. It has come to the fore at a time when the things have boiled up in the Arab world and people are not only making demands but also struggling for freedom and democracy at an unprecedented level. The study provides an in-depth analysis of the ongoing process of democratization and takes into account several dimensions of democratic promotion discussing awareness campaigns, media, education and economic sectors. Reforms introduced by the governments of the six GCC countries have also been analyzed. The author has ably dealt with the three research questions and has satisfied the three objectives displaying a great deal of critical insight in assessing (a) how the region s monarchical regimes succeeded in sustaining their authoritarian hold and (b) post-9/11 American goals, approaches, strategies, measures and activities and US induced democratic changes in the region.