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CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL AND SOCIAL PROCESSES
IN MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES UNDER GLOBALIZATION AND THEIR
IMPACT ON YOUTH CONSCIOUSNESS
Akhadjon Ilyosjon ogli Jo‘rayev
Doctoral Student at the Institute for Social and Spiritual Research
Abstract:
This article explores the nature and theoretical dimensions of political and social
processes in the Middle East, focusing particularly on the influence of the socio-spiritual
environment on youth consciousness in the context of globalization. It analyzes the
consequences of recent political events in the region, the dominant geopolitical trends, and post-
"Arab Spring" transformations.
Keywords:
Middle East, Arab Spring, Syria, Tunisia, geopolitics, authority, spiritual decline,
political processes.
In today's rapidly transforming world, where new threats and dangers undermine stability and
sustainable development of nations, special attention to spirituality, enlightenment, moral
education, and the acquisition of modern knowledge and skills by youth has become more
crucial than ever.
In recent years, the world has witnessed sharp geopolitical shifts and the destabilization of global
security and stability systems. The intensification of globalization is expanding human potential
while simultaneously exacerbating global conflicts and increasing the gap between developed
and underdeveloped nations. As a result, a range of transnational phenomena threatening peace
and stability have emerged.
The Middle East, one of the global hotspots, remains a region of critical geostrategic importance
in the modern globalized era. The balance of power and mechanisms of influence in the region
are acquiring new characteristics. Geographical, energetic, ideological, and religious factors are
driving growing geopolitical interest in the region, pulling it into a vortex of “great games.” The
Middle East encapsulates virtually all global challenges: ethnic and religious tensions, borders
and refugees, socio-economic crises, terrorism, extremism, separatism, organized crime, and the
geopolitical rivalry of external forces.
Many researchers continue to debate the political developments that unfolded consecutively in
Middle Eastern countries. It is evident that the strategy of “controlled instability” was actively
used. While Western media labeled these events as the “Arab Spring,” others referred to them as
the “Arab Awakening,” “Arab Winter,” or even “Pan-Arab Revolutions.”
The term “Arab Spring” itself is surrounded by controversy. Scholars argue that to properly
understand this phenomenon, one must consider the unique historical and socio-political
dynamics of Arab societies. Researchers generally distinguish three major waves of Arab unrest.
The first wave, called the "Great Arab Revolt," occurred in 1914 under the leadership of Sharif
Hussein, aiming to dismantle the Ottoman Empire in the Arab world.
This wave coincided with two major events: globally, World War I; and regionally, the
disintegration of the Ottoman Empire. The uprising, backed by the British Empire, was primarily
driven by efforts to eliminate Ottoman dominance in the region.
The second wave, in the 1950s–60s, saw the emergence of the term "Arab Spring" by French
writer Jacques Benoist-Méchin in his 1959 article "Un Printemps Arabe." He drew parallels
between Arab events and the 1848 “Springtime of Nations” revolutions in Europe. This wave
was also shaped by global and regional events: World War II, and the creation of the state of
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Israel in the heart of the Arab world. In response, Arabism emerged as a counter-ideology to
Zionism.
The third wave began on December 17, 2010, in Tunisia, when young street vendor Mohamed
Bouazizi self-immolated in protest in Sidi Bouzid, exposing the deep spiritual crisis among the
region’s youth. This act sparked mass protests across Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, Yemen,
Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Mauritania, and other Arab
nations, which became collectively known as the "Arab Spring."
Social and economic indicators from these countries prior to the Arab Spring reveal:
- Over 50% of the population in Arab countries was under 25 years old.
- Youth and female unemployment reached global highs (37%).
- In Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan, 30% of university graduates were unemployed.
- One in five young people had not completed primary school.
- Around 50 million adults (1/8 of the population), two-thirds of them women, were illiterate.
Despite this, the Arab Spring drastically transformed the region’s landscape. It affected the
dynamics of socio-political processes and even redrew the geopolitical map.
In academic discourse, internal societal unrest and conflicts are often labeled as “chaos.”
Recently, the concept of “controlled chaos,” or “managed instability,” has gained popularity. It
refers to the deliberate creation or manipulation of disorder to align with specific interests.
The consequences of modern conflicts in the Middle East are multifaceted, spanning
humanitarian, economic, political, geostrategic, and socio-spiritual aspects. As V.S. Yagya notes,
Syria vividly illustrates both the positive and negative outcomes of the Arab Spring: ethnic
fragmentation, sectarian divisions, foreign interference, the UN’s impotence, inter-Arab rivalries,
weak democratic institutions, Israeli aggression, regional power struggles (e.g., Egypt, Saudi
Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Turkey), rising terrorism, and the geopolitical reshaping of the Greater
Middle East.
Many analysts argue that the Arab Spring did not arise spontaneously but was influenced by
globalization, and that it failed to deliver its promised outcomes:
1. It did not fundamentally change the ruling elites.
2. It failed to eliminate corruption.
3. It did not improve socio-economic conditions.
4. It did not enhance political freedoms.
Except for Tunisia, most countries saw no democratic reforms post-regime collapse; instead,
violence escalated.
As a conclusion, first, as political processes globalize and ideological threats to our nation
intensify, youth education becomes increasingly vital.
Second, spiritual values are emerging as a universal issue, not only in Uzbekistan but globally,
underscoring the importance of analyzing youth’s moral development in a socio-political context.
Third, in an era threatened by global problems—such as ecological disasters, terrorism,
extremism, human trafficking, and drug abuse—political and socio-spiritual research plays a
vital role.
Fourth, globalization is reshaping the lives and cultural foundations of all nations. Preserving
national identity and values while building a democratic society is a critical and urgent task.
References:
1. Jacques Benoist-Méchin. Un Printemps Arabe (An Arab Spring), Paris: Albin Michel, 1959.
2. Mehmet Sahin, ‘1950-1960 Arab Revolutions and the 2011 Arab Spring: Similarities and
Differences’, in New World Order, Arab Spring and Turkey, B. Senem Cevik-Ersaydi and Bora
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Baskak (eds.), Ankara: Ankara University Center for the Study and Research for Political
Psychology, 2012. pp. 3-5.
3. The Arab Spring.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring
4. Aripov Shavkat. “Did the Arab Spring Deliver Its Promised Fruits?” // Uzbekistan-China:
Development of Cultural, Historical, Scientific and Economic Relations, 2021 – p.495.
5. Krylov A.V., Fedorchenko A.V., Torin A.I. “The Arab Spring: Outcomes and Perspectives” //
MGIMO University Bulletin. 2012, No. 4 (25). pp. 296-299.
6. Manoylo A.V. Features of Color Revolutions in the Arab Spring // Trends in the Modern
Political Process, 2013. – p.32.
7. Podgornova N.P. “Arab Spring” in Maghreb Countries. – Moscow, 2014. – p.4.
8. Sundiev I. “Controlled Chaos: Social Technologies in Mass Disorders” // Dictum et Factum,
2014. – p.95.
9. Yagya V.S. International Aspects of the Arab Crisis // The Arab Crisis and Its International
Consequences, edited by A.M. Vasiliev, Moscow: LENAND, 2014. – pp.176-238.
