The journal “Clients or Challengers? Tribal Constituents in Kuwait, Qatar and UEA”, by Courtney, evaluates the electronic impacts on the Qatar municipal council, Kuwaiti legislature and Emirati consultive council. The impacts aid in developing insights into the extent to which tribes undertake communal action via electronic campaigns (Freer, 2019). The article elaborates on the function of tribal groups in the Gulf states of UEA, Qatar and Kuwait. However, the author posits that the tribal groups in the three states play varying significant roles, such that some are challengers and others act as clients regarding their connection with the elites. The author emphasizes that tribal groups in Qatar are involved in the power structure of the elites (Freer, 2019). The tribal groups in this state are referred to as clients who rely on resources from Qatar. Tribes in UAE are perceived to be interlaced with the structure of the state under the Federal National Council. Despite the tribes being unified with the structure of the state, it is conventional with confined political influence. In addition, tribal groups present in Kuwait are perceived to be challengers who appeal to the political portrayal. The article uncovers political and social dynamics as aspects that manipulate the position of the tribal groups.
Following the ideas and thoughts of the author in the article provides a significant evaluation of the position of the tribal groups in Qatar, Kuwait and UEA. However, the presented roles of the tribes in the three states expound on their intricacies. The roles of the tribal groups unwrap on the significant relationship that the ruling elites have with the tribes. The article attempts to justify how the tribal groups live in Qatar, Kuwait and EUA (Freer, 2019). Besides the responses from the article, some critiques can be derived from the author’s ideas. For example, the period in which the context was released can easily affect its evaluation and analysis. The analysis of the article can be affected because the states in Gulf are confined to social and political manipulations, which can alter the roles of the tribal groups in the three states. Another critique that the article displays is that it concentrates only on the states of Qatar, Kuwait and the UEA, which cannot be effective since it cannot access the dynamics of other states of the Gulf like Oman (Freer, 2019). An external case that supports the argument of the author is the tribal dynamics of Kuwait. Tribal groups in Kuwait have been participating in political issues claiming political representation. Kuwait trial groups conducted demonstrations purposely for political liberty, depicting their position as the state’s challenges.
Chapter seven of “The Political System of Articulated Forms: The Conservative, Kin-Ordered Monarchies” is a section that tackles primarily the Gulf region, where the majority of the Arab monarchies are concentrated (Franklin, 2018). However, the chapter emphasizes how the monarchies that have hierarchical structure exists in kinship. Monarchies, as per the chapter, depict the position of kinship ties in power dynamics and the ruling of the monarchies. The chapter evaluates the difficulties that kin-ordered monarchies encounter, like legitimacy. and succession, which have serious political implications. Also, the chapter elaborates on how kinship ties can create and maintain loyalty for the elites and the necessity of monarchies stabilizing.
The article provides significant insights into how kinship ties and monarchies function and the influencing factors. The chapter helps in the understanding of political stability and maintenance of the status quo (Franklin, 2018). The chapter provides a great understanding of the challenges that conservative monarchies face. The chapter is significant because it delivers insights into governance, political systems and power dynamics. However, the chapter calls for critical thinking and evaluation of the position of kinship ties and the complexities that helps in shaping society. One of the critiques that can be extracted from the chapter is an overreliance on power which can lead to the emergence of vices like discrimination against leaders who are in power (Franklin, 2018). Also, the stability of the status quo can be an obstacle to development which can affect societies broadly. An external example that aligns with the chapter’s ideas is monarchies in France, and Austria-Hungary, which has conservative monarchies. The monarchies of France and Austria-Hungary encountered succession challenges, socio-economic issues and boundary disputes, which affected political stability. The monarchies in France and Austria-Hungary posit how exterior aspects affect kin-ordered monarchies.
References
Franklin, D. M. (2018). Chapter Seven: The Political System of Articulated Forms: The Conservative Kin-Ordered Monarchies.
Freer, C. (2019). Clients or Challengers? Tribal constituents in Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13530194.2019.1605881
write