Global and Regional Strategies in the Middle East

Leila Nicolas is Professor of International Affairs and International Law at the Lebanese University and two institutions at the Lebanese Army (the Command and Staff College and the Center of Research and Strategic Studies). Her research expertise includes Great Powers politics and Grand Strategies, Security and Conflict, Transitional Justice, and MENA politics. She is a co-founder of the NGO "Lebanese for democracy and good governance" (LEDGE), and has been a member of the Advisory board for the Enacting Global Transformation project. She is also a writer and commentator on several media outlets about Global affairs and MENA issues.

• Introduction Part I- The Theoretical and Historical Horizons of the Book 1. Navigating The Theoretical Framework 2. Conflict and Change: The Dynamics of Middle Eastern History Part II - Global Powers’ Strategies in the Middle East 3. The US: Adjusting ‘Offshore Balancing’ Strategy in the Middle East 4. China: The Middle East's Game Changer 5. Russia’s Leadership Ambition in the Middle East 6. Europe’s Security and Diplomatic Dilemmas in the Middle East Part III- Exploring the Regional Dynamics in The Middle East 7. Arab Spring: War of ‘All Against All’ 8. Saudi Arabia: From ‘omnibalancing’ to ‘Middle Power’ Ambition 9. Israel’s Perpetual Search for Security 10. Rivalry over Small States: Lebanon Case 11. The ‘Cohabitation’ Theory Conclusion: The Middle East’s Shifting Sands Bibliography