The Struggle for Supremacy in the Middle East
Saudi Arabia and Iran

Outlines the impact of the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran across the Middle East, challenging assumptions about 'proxy wars' and sectarianism.

Simon Mabon (Author)

9781108461443, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 16 March 2023

268 pages
22.6 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.46 kg

'Rejecting reductive 'proxy war' analyses, this book deftly illustrates how Iran and Saudi Arabia pursue rival visions of political order by building material and normative relationships with local actors, organizations, and groups. Mabon's account recognizes the mutuality of these relationships and offers readers essential insight into conflict dynamics in the MENA region.' Stacey Philbrick Yadav, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Since 1979, few rivalries have affected Middle Eastern politics as much as the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, too often the rivalry has been framed purely in terms of 'proxy wars', sectarian difference or the associated conflicts that have broken out in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, and Yemen. In this book, Simon Mabon presents a more nuanced assessment of the rivalry, outlining its history and demonstrating its impact across the Middle East. Highlighting the significance of local groups, Mabon shows how regional politics have shaped and been shaped by the rivalry. The book draws from social theory and the work of Pierre Bourdieu to challenge problematic assumptions about 'proxy wars', the role of religion, and sectarianism. Exploring the changing political landscape of the Middle East as a whole and the implications for regional and international security, Mabon paints a complex picture of this frequently discussed but oft-misunderstood rivalry.

Introduction
1. States, sects and order
2. The story of a kingdom and a republic
3. Iraq
4. Bahrain
5. Lebanon
6. Syria
7. Yemen
Conclusions.

Subject Areas: Theory of warfare & military science [JWA], International relations [JPS], Religion & politics [HRAM2]