The Logic of Cooperation in Autocracies - (Modern Intellectual and Political History of the Middle East) by Jens Heibach

About the Book

A comprehensive investigation into the nature of strategic cooperation in autocracies.

Book Synopsis

This meticulously researched book offers a comprehensive analysis of strategic cooperation in authoritarian regimes, specifically focusing on Yemen's Joint Meeting Parties--an alliance composed of diverse Islamist, Socialist, and Arab nationalist parties. Heibach presents a unique case study that explores the alliance's remarkable longevity and ultimate success, shedding light on the reasons behind the emergence and endurance of opposition cooperation in autocracies.

To provide a nuanced understanding of strategic cooperation, Heibach advocates for the separate examination of internal and external alliance performance. The internal logic of cooperation, which centers on the sustenance of the alliance, and the external logic, driven by goal attainment, give rise to contradictions that significantly impact overall alliance performance.

Drawing on a wide range of primary sources and employing rigorous methodologies, The Logic of Cooperation in Autocracies offers a vital addition to the academic discourse on authoritarianism, opposition politics, and coalition formation. It is an indispensable resource for scholars, researchers, and students seeking deep insights into the complex world of strategic cooperation in autocratic systems and its profound implications for political conflicts.

Review Quotes

Establishes Heibach as one of only a handful of experts on contemporary Yemeni politics and as a perceptive observer of the dynamics of regime-opposition contention in Yemen and beyond. ...A highly engaging read that deserves a place on the book shelves of all those interested in understanding contemporary Yemen and the politics of opposition cooperation more broadly.-- "Hendrik Jan Kraetzschmar, coeditor of Islamists and the Politics of the Arab Uprisings"

For readers interested in details of Yemeni politics and the extent to which the Saleh regime used its power to his own advantage, this book is essential reading.-- "Helen Lackner, Asian Affairs"

Heibach cleverly uses a single case to explore the conditions that guide cross-ideological cooperation in opposition and in government. He thus brings much-needed attention to the importance of organizational evolution and does so in a context in which organizational politics are too often dismissed.-- "Stacey Philbrick Yadav, author of Yemen in the Shadow of Transition: Pursuing Justice Amid War"

Heibach studies how the Joint Meeting Parties evolved over time, not only providing an unparalleled understanding of the internal workings of an opposition alliance but also following the record of this remarkably sustained effort as it operated under conditions that varied wildly from local elections to national uprising.-- "Nathan J. Brown, author of Arguing Islam after the Revival of Arab Politics"

Heibach's astute and meticulous analysis of regime-opposition relations during the last two decades of Salih's rule offers an especially interesting case to scholars studying cooperation and the complexities of opposition politics within autocratic settings.-- "Isa Blumi, Democratization"

Provides a salient glimpse into the per-sonal nature of-and personalities behind-Yemeni politics, something that has grown all the more cru-cial considering, alternately, their deaths, increasing age, and relative inaccessibility.-- "British Yemeni Society Journal"

About the Author

Jens Heibach is a postdoctoral research fellow at the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies in Hamburg, Germany. He received his PhD from Philipps University of Marburg. He has published in the Democratization and Middle Eastern Studies journals, as well as in the International Encyclopedia of Political Science and Encyclopedia of
Islam, Third Edition.