Strategic Studies Quarterly

Abstract

The main goal of this paper is to study the influence of the Salafi discourse in the Islamic world on the security in theMiddle Eastand like the Baabi Sa’eid’s approach towards the political Islam, the author uses the discourse methodology in this paper. Due to its radical position against the secular western discourse, the Salafi Islam has caused grave concerns for the international society. This discourse, given to its challenges against the western international order and moving forward the Islam – identity based approach, has drawn great attention under the issue of globalization of security and therefore, Salafi Islam has been one of the important topics in the international security studies. In this way, the hypothesis of this paper is as follows: “given the origins of the Salafi Islam discourse in theMiddle East, and in the light of its proliferation in the world, the security of this region has been globalized”. With the globalization of the security, discourses like the Salafi Islam has appeared in the virtual spatial and therefore its security readings have been much more visible in the literature. Wherever the Salafi Islam matches with the globalization, we will witness greater promotion and spread of an epistemology which believes that the Western discourse cannot provide proper security.

Abstract

Terrorism is one of the most debateful notions considering its definition. It is studied inter-disciplinarily. In other words, in studding terrorism, different fields like politics, international relations, international law, psychology, sociology and some others should be taken into account. This article discusses the nature and essence of terrorism and its evolution in international relations from 19^th century to the present time. This study is done based on eight factors: stimulus, analysis pattern, organization, strategy, tactics, goals, weapons, and victims. The writer believes that in 21^st century the international terrorism has changed to the global terrorism because it is territory-free now.

Abstract Living in the wide range of diversities and the recognition of these diversities is among the most characteristic features of the modern world. Because of extensive and permanent migrations and the extensive and international communications and the globalization of economic activities, more or less, every society around the world has become diverse and multiethnic society. On the other hand, if we define the function of police institution as establishing order and security in a society, it become clear that this institution must be accommodated to the emerging trends and circumstances of its society. Accordingly, in many countries and even in many cosmopolitan cities, charters and codes of conduct has been designed, so that their aim being as making smoother and more effective functioning of police institution. After a brief discussion on the meaning and the content of concept of diversity, in this paper, central and common themes of abovementioned charters and codes of conduct, which were proposed for more effective working of police in diverse societies, will be examined.

Abstract The main task of the government is serving security. The security challenge is either by other states which is called threat to national security or by domestic groups and individuals against each other which is demonstrated with weakening the government and disappearing social order. The government has the supreme power and in order to serve security and to project sovereignty, it creates some instruments and organizations which military and police force is the foremost one. In order to serve security and order within the society, the police establish an organization and based on its own threat perception, it adopts some strategies and tactics to reach the above goal. Needs to mention that although the police is static, however, the security environment, instruments and threats are dynamic. During the last two decades, one of the effective elements in this dynamism has been globalization. The effective mechanisms of globalization in respect to the police tasks and strategies are studied in the current paper.

Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to explain the development in role of state and non-state actors from the viewpoint of International law as well as theories of International Relations. As a tradition, in any discussion on international politics, all attention naturally is drawn to the role of State; however, the concept of trans-nationalism emphasizes on relations beyond relations among states and rather focuses on relations among non-state actors too. Non-state actors are functioning on a variety of issues, and even without the consent of states, they intervene in their domestic affairs. After explanation of the impact of the end of the Cold War and also the process of globalization on international relations, in this paper, the author considers development of the role of state and non-state actors from the viewpoint of International law as well as theories of International Relations.

Abstract The realistic discourse based on "State" which assumes State as the only interactor in the field of politics and international relations, has been changed and redefined due to the following factors: new developments of the post Cold War era, globalization, interdependency, spreading role of transnational social movements, global civil society, national and international NGOs and growing terrorist groups. The present study while using James Rosenoua's triple approaches on International Relations, intends to illustrate the transition from an interactor attitude of State in Realism, and also to survey its conceptual developments in an age when Pluralism is its prominent aspect. Finally the author concludes with evaluation and criticism of the current views on State.

Abstract Examining the phenomenon of globalization and efforts to explain the phenomenon, this article addresses challenges and opportunities faced with by political Islam in the new circumstances. The author considers discourse analysis as the suitable approach to this study. On this basis, he believes that instead of construing globalization as a single discourse, the image of globalization as the new situation of discourse struggle enjoys further ability for explanation. From this point of view, what becomes global is the struggle of discourses, thus discourses seek to give meaning to globalization and understand it according to its classification so that it becomes the dominant discourse. In this regard, political Islam can be also viewed as a discourse whose central claim is to revive Islamic identity in the area of political practice. Hence in the atmosphere of globalization, political Islam can act as the supreme guide and ultimate word by calling for an identity based upon centrality of Islam vis-à-vis other identities like Western modernism. Indeed, because of its concentration on material-spiritual life and weakening of spiritual aspects of human life, modernism suffers from the crisis of meaning and is threatened by loss of discursive dominance.

Abstract At the world level and in general trends regarding attention to ethnic affairs, two general courses can be identified. The first is a course that pay attention to the  cultural diversity and supports it and the second is a course to which the idea of a single state, a single nation and a single language is still attractive. Previous ideas and notions to the effect that diversities will fade out in the process of industrialization and modernization were refuted and even in some  cases the demographic proportion of minority groups increased. The conjunction of the aforementioned trends along with postmodern thoughts that have questioned the foundations of the modern thinking and its meta-narratives such as nationhood led to the rise of the idea of cultural rights of minorities and ethnicities. However, in the Third World countries and such regions as Eastern Europe, certain factors have caused the negation of such rights and violent treatment of advocates of cultural diversity rights. These factors include the persistent attractiveness of a coherent and homogenous nation, the prevalence of conspiracy theory, regional problems, and a misperception of the globalization process.

Abstract National security refers to the states’ capabilities to maintain their independent identities and applied integrity (population, territory, and assets). Political geography constitutes one of the branches of human geography on whose objective aspect is emphasized in the filed of security studies. This field largely deals with the phenomenon of state or organized political sphere in general and examines the state apparatus, elements, characteristics and behavior. Hence, political geography focuses mainly on various dimensions of state including the causes of emergence, position, political center, territorial characteristics, nation, political system, political structure, space, spatial pattern of distribution of power, relationships between the state and other states, national strength, the management of territory model, and relations between various levels of the states and citizens in the administration of the country’s affairs. The literature on security in political geography has attracted the attention of political geographers as well as geopoliticians. The research conducted in this field is mainly characterized by its realist and state-centric outlook, while with the fall of the Soviet Union, the rise of new actors like non-governmental organizations (active in areas of environment, human rights, and so on) and multinational companies as well as the importance being attached to discussions of minorities and tribes, the state has been challenged as the only actor active in the arena of national and international relationships.

Abstract With the end of the Cold War and the growing importance of economic factors in the assessment of national capacity and security situation considerations have gained more importance in the analysis of the countries’ security conditions and the explanation of the security regime governing the international system. On this basis, this article aims at processing the national security parameters from the political economy perspective and studies various dimensions of the theoretical relationship and objective interaction between the countries’ national security policy and their economic capabilities. It also particularly tests the hypothesis that with the elevation of the status of political economy in the states’ national security, attention can be paid to ecopolitical analysis of national security along with realist or idealist analysis. Therefore, different aspects of such an analysis may be categorized as in the security role of current capital and security margin of indebted nations and the problem of investment, the impact of just distribution of revenues on social stability and security, change in the security and political treatment of regional and international contenders by rivals through economic and trade awards and punishments, the spread of aspects of structural violence in the international setting due to asymmetrical economic ties between the core and periphery of world economy and dual interaction of national wealth and military power. Hence, distinction between national security strategy as high politics and political economy considerations as low politics will be misguiding and scientifically invalid to make.

Abstract Universal expansion of transnational and international regimes including the human rights standards and democratic arrangements along with the broad interpretation of the UN Charter regarding the maintenance of world peace and security are among the most important consequences of globalization in the late decades of the 20^th Century. These are able to pose serious threats to and create opportunities for ethnic movements and multi-ethnic states.   On this basis, world regimes have gradually turned out into competitors for the basic rights and domestic systems remaining from the Westphalian model. More than to be an instrument for the execution of power and regulation of relations by the states, they are groundwork for the future identity coherence and proliferation of demands on part of the sub-national groups and ethnic movements.   This change can also indicate the weakening of the will to suppress ethnic minorities thus promoting the status of ethnic movements in the national and international milieus.   Such change in status is realized through intermediary variables such as the theoretical strength of identities, impact of the audience’s beliefs, emotional appeal of identities as well as the shift in power equations. This provides the grounds for ethnic movements to wield more appropriate and balanced theoretical leverage and practical opportunities in comparison to nation-states. This implies that the transnational globalized regimes have changed the status of ethnic movements and their identity-building sources in the early third millennium.