Conflict in the Middle East

Paper Summary:

This paper provides a review of the related literature to show how there are three aspects that have contributed to the historic incidence of violence in the Middle East. It looks at how the reasons include the competition for scarce resources; a highly patriarchal social framework that disenfranchises women and encourages violence as a legitimate and acceptable practice; and inter- and intra-religious differences.

Outline:
Review and Discussion
Competition for Scarce Resources
Highly Patriarchal Social Framework
Inter- and Intra-Religious Differences
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The Middle East features the mixed blessing of having religious sites that are common to the three major faiths in the region, Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Jerusalem in particular remains a mish-mash of legalities and religious niceties that have thus far allowed all three faiths to co-exist, but tensions remain high and everyone suspects everyone else of trying to preempt their historic claims on every square inch of soil. In this explosive environment, history will likely continue to repeat itself as one faith fights to assert its rights over scarce land based on biblical claims and religious interpretations. According to Blanche (2005), "The emergence of a Shiite-dominated government in Iraq is causing deep unease in the Arab world, which for centuries has been ruled by the majority Sunnis. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Blanche, E. (2005, November). A new dawn for the Shi'ite faithful: The Arab world's Sunni governments have registered alarm at the Shi'ites' rise to power in Iraq. The Middle East, 361, 22.
• Borer, D. A., & Morrissette, J. J. (2004). Where oil and water do mix: Environmental scarcity and future conflict in the Middle East and North Africa. Parameters, 34(4), 86.
• Giles, W., & Hyndman, J. (2004). Sites of violence: Gender and conflict zones. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
• Gray, J. (2002, November 25). World at war: Terror on the tube and plans to invade Iraq are just the beginning. New Statesman, 131(4615), 20.
• Lewis, B. (2004). From Babel to dragomans: Interpreting the Middle East. New York: Oxford University Press.

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