A new book authored by Mehran Kamrava, Georgetown Professor, explores the complex relationship in the Gulf. Titled Troubled Waters: Insecurity in the Persian Gulf (Cornell University Press, 2018), the book examines the deep and pervasive origins of instability and volatility in the region and their likely ramifications in the future.
In the study, Kamrava, Director of Georgetown University in Qatar’s Center for International and Regional Studies, considers the various dynamics that have contributed to the instability of the region. These include the neglect of human dimensions of security, the inherent instability involved in reliance on the United States and the exclusion of regional powers like Iraq and Iran, the international and security policies pursued by inside and outside actors, and a number of overlapping security dilemmas.
“Today, the Gulf is one of the most heavily militarised and insecure regions in the world,” said Kamrava. “This book examines the causes and consequences of the dynamics that led to this, and offers insights into why this small waterway and its surrounding nations have become such a volatile place.”
Troubled Waters brings together Kamrava’s expertise in international relations in the Middle East with insights gained from interviews with Gulf elites to offer a new understanding of developments in the region. From policy decisions to the consequences of security challenges and the conflicting priorities of local players, the book explores the many factors that have caused or contributed to current events.
Kamrava is the author and editor of a number of books, most recently, Inside the Arab State (Oxford University Press/Hurst, 2018), The Impossibility of Palestine: History, Geography, and the Road Ahead (Yale University Press, 2016), and Qatar: Small State, Big Politics (Cornell University Press, 2015). His research interests include the domestic politics of Middle East states, Gulf security, and US foreign policy in the Middle East.
AUTHOR: Mehran Kamrava
