Brief learning objectives have been made available by the author, to assist you with your studies. 

This chapter will enable a greater understanding of:

• The influence of ideologies on politics in the 20th century, with reference to the Middle East.

• The emergence of the ideology of Arab nationalism and its impacts on regional events.

• The emergence of the ideology of political Islamism and its impacts on regional events.

• How these ideologies took organisational form as well as being exploited by regional regimes.

• The role of these ideologies in perpetuating authoritarian rule and the difficulties faced by these ideologies in meeting popular expectations in the region.