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Securitization, Legitimization, Rhetoric, and Regional Organization in the MENA Region: Learning from the League of Arab States

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  • Mujtaba Ali Isani

Abstract

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region remains one of the least integrated regions globally and is characterized by persistent fragmentation, a lack of cohesive unity, and the absence of structured regional security mechanisms. Existing scholarship has highlighted how negative perceptions, deep-seated prejudices, and mutual distrust—particularly among influential political elites—have contributed to divergent regional interests and obstructed cooperation. These dynamics have fostered dominant discourses of inclusion and exclusion, perpetuating political rivalries and undermining collective action. Against this backdrop, this article examines the role of the League of Arab States (LAS) and its longstanding aim of unifying the Arab population under a shared political and social framework. Despite its historical significance and ambitious founding vision, the LAS has largely failed to advance meaningful regional integration. To investigate this failure, the article employs a qualitative content analysis (QCA) of the LAS’s legitimization rhetoric alongside a descriptive analysis of public opinion data drawn from the World Values Survey and the Arab Barometer. The findings reveal a critical lack of both normative and social legitimacy for the LAS, as reflected in its inability to meet the aspirations of the populations it claims to represent and protect. Theoretically, this study contributes to broader discussions of regionalism by arguing that the social legitimacy of regional organizations is closely tied to their success in fulfilling normative commitments. These insights offer valuable lessons for other regional organizations, illustrating how ambitious visions of unity can falter when legitimacy is not consistently cultivated through effective and inclusive governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Mujtaba Ali Isani, 2025. "Securitization, Legitimization, Rhetoric, and Regional Organization in the MENA Region: Learning from the League of Arab States," Contemporary Review of the Middle East, , vol. 12(3), pages 249-263, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:crmide:v:12:y:2025:i:3:p:249-263
    DOI: 10.1177/23477989251345221
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mujtaba Ali Isani, 2021. "Methodological Problems of Using Arabic-Language Twitter as a Gauge for Arab Attitudes Toward Politics and Society," Contemporary Review of the Middle East, , vol. 8(1), pages 22-35, March.
    2. Wendt, Alexander, 1994. "Collective Identity Formation and the International State," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 88(2), pages 384-396, June.
    3. Nasser Saidi, 2003. "Arab Economic Integration: an Awakening to Remove Barriers to Prosperity," Working Papers 0322, Economic Research Forum, revised 08 Jul 2003.
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