Hegemonic Practices in the GCC Political Complex (GPC): Evolvement of Counter-Hegemonic Formations

Abstract

The thesis contributes to the international relations and political science literature on the GCC countries by theorizing intra-GCC rivalries around organic and conjunctural crises, with a focus on the concepts of hegemony, power, and crisis from the perspective of post-structural discourse theory. The purpose of this study is to examine dislocated, deconstructed, and transformed hegemonic formations as well as emerging hegemonic practices within the GCC.

The GCC Political Complex (the GPC) is a technical term developed in this study to depict the main arguments for conceptualizing the political paradigms of this sub-region. In its political complex, the GPC prioritizes the importance of hegemonic formations and acknowledges the cultural and generic values of Arab monarchies. Looking at the importance of hegemony, power and crisis in the GPC, the thesis takes a poststructuralist approach. This theoretical interpretation helps the research to reach a solid and comprehensive discussion on the hegemonic projects and formations that are emerged around the GCC's unique political structure. The research aims to improve theoretical and conceptual discussions regarding the policy making of these states by describing intra-GCC hegemonic struggles, focusing primarily on the two oil monarchies (Saudi Arabia and Qatar) but also taking into account other states' reactions (Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman). There are other actors that are briefly examined in the thesis in relation to Qatar's counter-hegemonic discourse, including Iran and Turkey.

The concept of hegemony in this specific context is not the predominance of one nation over another. Rather it refers to a comprehensive set of relations under leadership with a combination of coercion and persuasion for material and non-material means. The thesis does not focus solely on Qatari foreign policy or the Saudi role in the region. It is a theoretical discussion with case studies of the articulation of sectarian polarity and political Islam in two monarchies’ policies over Egypt, Syria, and the intra-GCC crises of 2013 and 2017. In looking at these articulations, there are two primary levels of analysis. The research delves into sub-regional rivalries, first, looking at intra-GCC tensions and second looking at Middle East wide implications of the sub-regional antagonism. Hence, the thesis first examines how hegemonic and counter-hegemonic practices manifested themselves in the GPC after the Arab Uprisings. The second focus is on institutionalizing these emerging hegemonic practices, questioning whether a counter-hegemonic Qatari “myth” has been incorporated into a hegemonic power “imaginary”.