Ashraf khatib | University of Birmingham (original) (raw)
Papers by Ashraf khatib
Looming Annexation, 2020
Fatina Jaouni and Ashraf Khatib then take us brief- ly through Israel’s illegal annexation of... more Fatina Jaouni and Ashraf Khatib then take us brief- ly through Israel’s illegal annexation of Palestinian land throughout the years while focusing on current annexation. They explain Israeli measures of land control since the be- ginning of the occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 1967 that prepared the ground for incremental an- nexation. Their main message is that: “The imposition of Is- raeli sovereignty over occupied Palestinian land is yet an- other illegal action to be added to a long list of violations of international law characteristic of the State of Israel to date. By imposing annexation, Israel officially recognizes apartheid as its policy and signals that a negotiated agree- ment is off the table”.
There has been a growing interest in the multi-disciplinary subject of policy transfer and its im... more There has been a growing interest in the multi-disciplinary subject of policy transfer and its impact on the day to day domestic and global politics. The approach has been widely adopted for a long time and policies across the world have been enacted based on this approach (O’Dolan & Rye, 2012). To illuminate further on what policy transfer means - Dolowitz and Marsh (1996) offer quite a comprehensive definition that establishes a basis to understand policy transfer as “a process in which knowledge about policies, administrative arrangements, institutions and ideas in one political setting (past or present) is used in the development of policies, administrative arrangements, institutions and ideas in another political setting” (Dolowitz & Marsh, 1996: 344). It can occur within and across countries, fields, institutional entities, ideas and strategies (Dolowitz, 1997). As the process encompasses a wide range of applications, it certainly requires apprehending the accumulative knowledge established in one context on policies, strategies and institutions, in addition to the challenges, limitations and opportunities it endorses and work to develop a mechanism through which this knowledge can be adapted and utilized in another context. Consequently, the aim of this paper is to investigate policy transfer as a process used in utilizing the knowledge on polic/ies in one political context for the development and making of policies in another context. Drawing on three models the research paper will address the potential opportunities the process poses while analyzing and considering possible limitations. In the first section, the paper will introduce policymaking as a process and look at definitions to set the background and establish the conceptual framework. Further, it will attempt to scrutinize the process to unravel its pros and cons and where it strengths and weaknesses are and how can they be invested in. Reference to models or cases of policy transfer will come across the whole text and specific focus in the last sections of this paper. The cases presented by this paper are within the context of the European Union (EU) and the relationship with its European Member States (EMS), and will potentially reflect upon the referenced theories and mechanisms.
Civil wars have been long a subject of analysis and theorization by scholars from diverse discipl... more Civil wars have been long a subject of analysis and theorization by scholars from diverse disciplines introducing a vast and versatile literature of definitions, research and analysis while scrutinizing factors, causes and effects. The complexity of the topic and its interdisciplinary nature has led to significant discrepancies among scholars and theoreticians in its definitions. This lack of conceptual clarity ultimately affected how the topic and its dynamics have been observed, scrutinized and unfolded. Consequently, this entailed further revision, discussion and analysis of reasons behind civil wars and factors contributing to their initiation or prolongation.
In the years between 2010 and 2014, massive waves of social movements and demonstrations swept ov... more In the years between 2010 and 2014, massive waves of social movements and demonstrations swept over one hundred major global capitals and cities. According to the study ‘world protests between 2006-2013’, over 864 protests took place in 84 countries as part of movements requiring changes (Ortiz, et al., 2013). One of the biggest movements took place in Egypt (2011) with an estimate of 17 million Egyptians taking the streets in protest against their authoritarian regime and in request for freedom, social justice, dignity and welfare. Eventually, the protests ousted President Hosni Mubarak’s after 30 years in position. The questions raised in this context are: what are social movements, what triggers their initiation, how are people mobilized into this action and can it be a political force for development? This paper titled Social Movements, Mobilization and Changing Paradigms tend to examine and illustrate, through examples from the world, how social movements are capable of contributing to creating new realities and in advancing development. In addition, this paper looks at theoretical definitions and reflect on their various dynamics, conditions, mechanisms and potential opportunities and obstacles.
Looming Annexation, 2020
Fatina Jaouni and Ashraf Khatib then take us brief- ly through Israel’s illegal annexation of... more Fatina Jaouni and Ashraf Khatib then take us brief- ly through Israel’s illegal annexation of Palestinian land throughout the years while focusing on current annexation. They explain Israeli measures of land control since the be- ginning of the occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 1967 that prepared the ground for incremental an- nexation. Their main message is that: “The imposition of Is- raeli sovereignty over occupied Palestinian land is yet an- other illegal action to be added to a long list of violations of international law characteristic of the State of Israel to date. By imposing annexation, Israel officially recognizes apartheid as its policy and signals that a negotiated agree- ment is off the table”.
There has been a growing interest in the multi-disciplinary subject of policy transfer and its im... more There has been a growing interest in the multi-disciplinary subject of policy transfer and its impact on the day to day domestic and global politics. The approach has been widely adopted for a long time and policies across the world have been enacted based on this approach (O’Dolan & Rye, 2012). To illuminate further on what policy transfer means - Dolowitz and Marsh (1996) offer quite a comprehensive definition that establishes a basis to understand policy transfer as “a process in which knowledge about policies, administrative arrangements, institutions and ideas in one political setting (past or present) is used in the development of policies, administrative arrangements, institutions and ideas in another political setting” (Dolowitz & Marsh, 1996: 344). It can occur within and across countries, fields, institutional entities, ideas and strategies (Dolowitz, 1997). As the process encompasses a wide range of applications, it certainly requires apprehending the accumulative knowledge established in one context on policies, strategies and institutions, in addition to the challenges, limitations and opportunities it endorses and work to develop a mechanism through which this knowledge can be adapted and utilized in another context. Consequently, the aim of this paper is to investigate policy transfer as a process used in utilizing the knowledge on polic/ies in one political context for the development and making of policies in another context. Drawing on three models the research paper will address the potential opportunities the process poses while analyzing and considering possible limitations. In the first section, the paper will introduce policymaking as a process and look at definitions to set the background and establish the conceptual framework. Further, it will attempt to scrutinize the process to unravel its pros and cons and where it strengths and weaknesses are and how can they be invested in. Reference to models or cases of policy transfer will come across the whole text and specific focus in the last sections of this paper. The cases presented by this paper are within the context of the European Union (EU) and the relationship with its European Member States (EMS), and will potentially reflect upon the referenced theories and mechanisms.
Civil wars have been long a subject of analysis and theorization by scholars from diverse discipl... more Civil wars have been long a subject of analysis and theorization by scholars from diverse disciplines introducing a vast and versatile literature of definitions, research and analysis while scrutinizing factors, causes and effects. The complexity of the topic and its interdisciplinary nature has led to significant discrepancies among scholars and theoreticians in its definitions. This lack of conceptual clarity ultimately affected how the topic and its dynamics have been observed, scrutinized and unfolded. Consequently, this entailed further revision, discussion and analysis of reasons behind civil wars and factors contributing to their initiation or prolongation.
In the years between 2010 and 2014, massive waves of social movements and demonstrations swept ov... more In the years between 2010 and 2014, massive waves of social movements and demonstrations swept over one hundred major global capitals and cities. According to the study ‘world protests between 2006-2013’, over 864 protests took place in 84 countries as part of movements requiring changes (Ortiz, et al., 2013). One of the biggest movements took place in Egypt (2011) with an estimate of 17 million Egyptians taking the streets in protest against their authoritarian regime and in request for freedom, social justice, dignity and welfare. Eventually, the protests ousted President Hosni Mubarak’s after 30 years in position. The questions raised in this context are: what are social movements, what triggers their initiation, how are people mobilized into this action and can it be a political force for development? This paper titled Social Movements, Mobilization and Changing Paradigms tend to examine and illustrate, through examples from the world, how social movements are capable of contributing to creating new realities and in advancing development. In addition, this paper looks at theoretical definitions and reflect on their various dynamics, conditions, mechanisms and potential opportunities and obstacles.