Lecture hall of the JINR Scientists' Club

What is the meaning of the term "Arab world"?

JINR scientists and staff go on learning about the advanced research in the field of humanities. On 29 March, the famous orientalist, Deputy Director for research of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, associate professor of the Faculty of World Politics of Moscow State University Vasily KUZNETSOV was invited for a lecture-discussion "The Arab world of the 2020s: search for new unities".

The scientist focuses on a range of issues related to the estimation of key trends in the development of the Middle East and North Africa, conventionally united by the concepts of the "Arab world". Together with the participants, he discussed Arab unity and the vectors of its political, economic and cultural transformation.

The lecturer noted that when we name a region, we do not just talk about geography, we talk about some kind of geographical, political, social and economic, as well as cultural unity. This is a system that correlates with the system of international relations, world politics and the global world in general. Understanding what kind of system it is, what it consists of, how it functions, is sometimes a non-trivial task.

The key point here is the issue of identity. This is an issue of painful comprehension of one's roots, one's past, as well as an issue of an ideal image of the future. Currently, there are several projects reflecting the identity and national development strategies of Arab states. First of all, this is a pan-Islamic project, implying the unity of all Muslims and based on the old Islamic tradition. Another project is based on the idea of an Arab homeland and is related to the activities of Arab educators.

Discussing the place of the Arab world in modern world politics and economics, the lecturer noted that in the 21st century, the world starts to understand this space in a new way. There is great interest in Arab countries, including from Russia. The main task of the latter, in addition to ensuring security, is to maintain friendship with these countries and to compensate for previously broken ties.

Ksenia MORUNOVA