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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - De-securitisation and Pragmatism in the Persian Gulf
T2 - The Future of Saudi-Iranian Relations
AU - Mabon, S.
AU - Nasirzadeh, S.
AU - Alrefai, E.
PY - 2021/12/31
Y1 - 2021/12/31
N2 - Since 1979, relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have oscillated between periods of overt hostility and apparent rapprochement, yet since 2003 the two have engaged in a vitriolic competition that has spread across regional affairs, to devastating effect in Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, Iraq and Yemen. Central to much of this are efforts to securitise the other in the eyes of external audiences, discursively presenting the rivalry in the language of security. Yet despite their competing claims to Islamic legitimacy and leadership, there are strong pragmatic reasons related to political and economic concerns for the two states to engage with one another. Underpinning this, however, is a need for de-securitisation moves, reducing tensions between the two through framing relations in terms of ‘normal’ politics rather than the language of security.
AB - Since 1979, relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have oscillated between periods of overt hostility and apparent rapprochement, yet since 2003 the two have engaged in a vitriolic competition that has spread across regional affairs, to devastating effect in Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, Iraq and Yemen. Central to much of this are efforts to securitise the other in the eyes of external audiences, discursively presenting the rivalry in the language of security. Yet despite their competing claims to Islamic legitimacy and leadership, there are strong pragmatic reasons related to political and economic concerns for the two states to engage with one another. Underpinning this, however, is a need for de-securitisation moves, reducing tensions between the two through framing relations in terms of ‘normal’ politics rather than the language of security.
KW - de-securitisation
KW - Iran
KW - peacebuilding
KW - Saudi Arabia
U2 - 10.1080/03932729.2021.1989183
DO - 10.1080/03932729.2021.1989183
M3 - Journal article
VL - 56
SP - 66
EP - 83
JO - The International Spectator: Italian Journal of International Affairs
JF - The International Spectator: Italian Journal of International Affairs
SN - 0393-2729
IS - 4
ER -