Ideology, Networks, and International Security: Evidence from the Middle East

• In Event: Networks, Governance, and Cooperation

Abstract

The Middle East is characterized by the dense nature of its international politics. But what drives states’ cooperation? Experts have argued regional states act based on conventional material interests or in an attempt to secure external support for their regimes, while discounting ideological or identity factors. Unfortunately, many existing studies overlook the fact that preserving ideology—specifically the relationship to Islam—is an important aspect of states’ and regime security. They also overlook the benefits states arising from forming closely-knit networks with similar states. In this paper, we argue that states seek out regional partners facing similar levels and types of domestic threat, and which possess similar ideological orientations towards Islam. Additionally, we argue that a proper understanding of Middle East international politics requires attention to the dynamic set of interactions between regional states. Using a novel Bayesian factor network model and event data on international cooperation, our preliminary finding suggests that interstate military cooperation is facilitated by shared domestic uprising threats and religious affiliation. This paper expands our understanding of Middle East international politics, while also highlighting the significance of international ideological networks in regime security more generally.

Authors

• Peter Shane Henne, University of Vermont

• Howard Liu, University of South Carolina

• Shahryar Minhas, Michigan State University