The ethnic basis of national identity in countries of Middle East

Abstract

The peoples of the Middle East are differentiated by their national identity. While ethnic and religious identities are important in the Middle East, people often have a strong sense of nationalism (a strong attachment to the state) that is connected to their national identity. These individuals often place more emphasis on their country of origin than their ethnic or religious background. This article introduces and reviews critically the main regional and subregional institutions currently operating in the Middle East. It concludes with an assessment of how the so-called Arab Uprisings have affected the institutional architecture of the region.