Item – Theses Canada

​
OCLC number
1006917235
Link(s) to full text
LAC copy
LAC copy
Author
Lauzière, Henri,1974-
Title
On the origins of Arab monarchy : political culture, historiography, and the emergence of the modern kingdoms in Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
Degree
M.A. -- Simon Fraser University, 2000
Publisher
Ottawa : National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, [2001]
Description
2 microfiches
Notes
Includes bibliographical references.
Abstract
This thesis examines the political culture concept from a historical perspective and challenges the idea that using political culture as a tool to investigate the past produces rewarding results and enhances our understanding of history. More specifically, this study questions the extent to which the concept of political culture can help explain the emergence of the modern monarchies in Morocco and Saudi Arabia. By virtue of their common cultural, religious, and historical ties, these two Arab kingdoms, one Maghribi and the other Mashriqi, allow for a valid cultural-cum-political comparison. In this case, the various formulations of political culture identified by scholars--whether Islamic, tribal, segmentary, patriarchal, or simply Moroccan and Saudi--are often flawed. Given their focus on psyche, political values, and their links with political behavior, these cultural approaches entail methodological problems. Although attractive on an intellectual level, political culture remains an elusive concept and is sometimes reminiscent of earlier Orientalist practices. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
ISBN
0612513874
9780612513877