7 October 2010 Political Leadership in the Middle East: Tradition, Transition and Transformation A Seminar by Professor Ataur Rahman By Mary E. Stonaker

Professor Ataur Rahman, Visiting Senior Research Fellow at MEI, presented a wide-ranging analysis of political leadership in the Middle East on Wednesday, October 6th. He presented a theoretical framework in which he covered the historical and political context of the Middle East. He elaborated on a typology of four kinds of leaders: (1) monarchical-traditional rulers, (2) nationalist-military leaders, (3) determined Jewish leaders and (4) Anglo-Soviet installed and US-backed rulers.

Prof. Rahman discussed the economic, cultural and religious context through which these leaders have emerged. He also identified the state and society as critical bases for leadership and discussed the fundamental elements of each.

Classifying Middle Eastern leaders, he named three categories: Founding, Transitional and Transformational. The speaker noted that the ‘transformational’ leaders have been slow to rise and that outstanding examples have yet to come out of the region. Alluding to the external forces on these leaders, Prof. Rahman touched on Soviet influences while providing a wider discussion on the American influences and an observation on the power balance that is emerging between the Iranian theocratic regime and the Arab world.

Finally, Prof. Rahman offered an analysis of the current leaders. He stated that pressures from civil society are pushing on the governments of the Middle East to slowly press for change. Professor Ataur Rahman concluded by urging future Middle Eastern leaders to reduce the levels of poverty as well as gender and social inequities.