Publication

This paper aims at assessing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries' reaction to the Arab Spring pointing to the striking “double standard” between its response in its own physical and symbolic space and outside it. Within the GCC states, the reaction to the uprisings has been a mix of economic handouts, use of patronage, limited political and economic reforms as well as domestic repression and even military intervention. While outside the Gulf area, the GCC has reached out to the protestors and actively supported them against incumbent authoritarian regimes.