Clash or Cooperation of Civilizations? (The International Political Economy of New Regionalisms Series)

For decades North Africa and the Middle East have been areas of overlapping identities and integration processes. The countries of North Africa, apart from Morocco, have supported the re-launch of pan-Africanism in the form of the African Union and its growing institutionalisation. But the countries of North Africa share also an Arab identity and are members of the Arab League. Islamism commands wide support among the population at large. In Turkey, a moderate Islamist party is even in government. But the countries in the region have also experienced a growing impact of European integration in various forms. In some cases (e.g. Morocco or Tunisia) the cooperation is very close. Turkey has even been recognised as a candidate country, its government works actively to make the country meet the EU membership criteria.This comprehensive volume asks the question to what extent these various identities and integration processes are compatible, or whether and to what extent they are in conflict. It unites contributions from various countries which explore these problems from different perspectives. Introduction: Overlapping Identities And Integration Processes In The Mediterranean Basin / Wolfgang Zank -- A Vlash Of Vivilizations Inside The Mena Vountries? Islamist Versus Secular Civil Society And The Failure Of Pro-democracy Policies / Francesco Cavatorta -- Beyond The Clash Of Civilizations: The Rapprochement Of Turkish Islamic Elite With The West / Ihsan Dagi -- The Alliance Of Civilizations: The Spanish Approach To Bridging The Divide Between Islam And The West / Koussay Boulaich & Søren Dosenrode -- Obstacles To African Unity: A Deutschian Perspective -- The Gradual Europeanization Of North Africa: From Arab Socialism To A Stake In Eu's Internal Market / Wolfgang Zank -- European Security And The 'clash Of Civilizations: Differences In The Policies Of France, Germany And The Uk Towards The Mediterranean And The Middle East / Peter Seeberg -- Citizenship And Cultural Clashes: The Cartoon Crisis And Changing Notions Of Citizenship / Jakob Feldt -- Enriched By Open Borders And A Lively Variety Of Languages, Cultures And Regions: Cooperation And Integration In The Eu In Spite Of Cultural Diversity / Wolfgang Zank -- Some Concluding Remarks On Overlapping Integration In The Mediterranean Basin / Wolfgang Zank. Edited By Wolfgang Zank. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Ashgate Contents 6 List of Figures and Tables 8 List of Contributors 10 List of Abbreviations 12 Acknowledgments 14 1 Introduction: Overlapping Identities and Integration Processes in the Mediterranean Basin 16 2 A Clash of Civilizations inside the MENA Countries? Islamist versus Secular Civil Society and the Failure of Pro-democracy Policies 42 3 Beyond the Clash of Civilizations: The Rapprochement of Turkish Islamic Elite with the West 58 4 The Alliance of Civilizations: The Spanish Approach to Bridging the Divide between Islam and the West 80 5 Obstacles to African Unity – A Deutschian Perspective 98 6 The Gradual Europeanization of North Africa: From “Arab Socialism” to a “Stake in EU’s Internal Market” 124 7 European Security and the “Clash of Civilizations”: Differences in the policies of France, Germany and the UK towards the Mediterranean and the Middle East 162 8 Citizenship and Cultural Clashes: The Cartoon Crisis and Changing Notions of Citizenship 182 9 “Enriched by Open Borders and a Lively Variety of Languages, Cultures and Regions”: Cooperation and Integration in the EU in spite of Cultural Diversity 198 10 Some Concluding Remarks on Overlapping Integration in the Mediterranean Basin 222 Index 234 ISBN-13:,9780754674078 For decades North Africa and the Middle East have experienced overlapping identities and integration processes. With the exception of Morocco, the countries of North Africa have supported the re-launch of pan-Africanism in the form of the African Union and its growing institutionalization; but they also share an Arab identity and are members of the Arab League. Islamism commands wide support among the regions of North Africa and the Middle East, and the impact of European integration can increasingly be seen in varying forms. This comprehensive volume focuses on overlapping identities and integration processes in the Mediterranean basin and queries to what extent these various identities and integration processes are compatible or in conflict. Incorporating both theoretical and empirical material, it unites contributions from a variety of countries, thus exploring these issues from different perspectives.