The rationality paradigm does not appear as an independent category as often as the two others (structural and cultural) in explaining the divergent outcomes and trajectories of the Arab Spring. Rational choice theory is used by a number of scholars in explaining how people in urban areas opted to join the ant-regime protests …show more content…
Moreover, the rational choice analytical paradigm is used by some scholars in trying to explain how distribution of economic resources by states in the Middle East affect the individual choices to want democratization or now, which in eventually influenced the aggregate results in post-protest scenarios (Allegra et al 2013; Hierschkind 2012; Kaul 2013).
An inter-paradigmatic analytical approach is the least used framework in the literature exploring the divergent outcomes of the Arab Spring. Asher Susser’s short review of literature on methodology of research on Arab Spring (2012) how the scholarship is dominated by cultural and structural paradigms. In order to enrich the level of analysis, he proposes the use of an inter-paradigmatic approach both in explaining the causes of the uprising and its divergent outcomes.
Analysis of the literature: strengths and weaknesses/gaps, comparisons/contrasts: …show more content…
Methodologically speaking, cases are chosen based on dependent variable not independent variables. This has resulted in lack of a comprehensive study of the entire region. However, fact that the Arab Spring is an ongoing phenomenon, the lack of a comprehensive study of the entire region is challenging, especially due to evolving internal and external independent variables. For example, the continued civil war in Syria, Yemen, and crisis in Libya make such an undertaking challenging.
The external factors affecting outcomes of the Arab Spring are underdeveloped. The literature treats Western and Russian interventions in Libya and Syria as independent phenomenon, or is less theoretically connected to the transition and democratization. This is partly because of the international war on terror, and thus the foreign intervention is seen as a residual global policy of counterterrorism. The regional factors, especially the role of GCC, is well covered in and its effects on democratization process is a strength, which to a degree compensates for the weaker end on the Western and Russian