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International Area Studies Review
[ Article ]
International Area Studies Review - Vol. 27, No. 4, pp.434-447
ISSN: 2233-8659 (Print)
Print publication date 31 Dec 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69473/iasr.2024.27.4.434

Sub-National Governments’ Interactions in International Affairs: An Arab Perspective on Paradiplomacy

Inass Abdulsada Ali* ; Faieq Hassen Jasem
Ph.D. in International Studies, Assistant Professor of International Studies, University of Baghdad, College of Political Science, Iraq
Ph.D. in International Relations, Assistant Professor of International Relations, University of Baghdad, College of Political Science, Iraq

Correspondence to: *Email: inass3a@copolicy.uobaghdad.edu.iq

Abstract

In the last years of the twentieth century, scholars solidly focused on paradiplomacy as a study subject, linking it to federalism and decentralised systems. In the Arab world, which has 22 countries, a few states have adopted federalism or decentralisation. Only five countries, i.e., 22.7%, have adopted federalism and decentralised experience. Therefore, limited research and academic work has been conducted regarding paradiplomacy. This paper aims to research the relationship between federalism and paradiplomacy conceptually and practically and then analyse the Arab experiences in federalism and whether they applied paradiplomacy and succeeded in doing so. To explore that, the paper studies and compares the related articles of constitutions of these five countries, which revealed a noticeable differentiation in terms of competencies granted to sub-state actors in these countries. The paper suggests and encourages doing more in-depth research on this issue to clarify why federalism and then paradiplomacy succeeded in some countries and failed in others.

Keywords:

Arab world, Diplomacy, Foreign affairs, International relations, Paradiplomacy, Sub-National units

AI Acknowledgment

Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were not used in any way to prepare, write, or complete essential authoring tasks in this manuscript.

Conflicting interests

The author(s) declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Funding

The author(s) declare that there is no funding.

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