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Algeria on the Global Stage

The Paradox of Influence

Algeria on the Global Stage cover

Algeria on the Global Stage

The Paradox of Influence

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Pre-order. Available 21 Jan 2027
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Description

Algeria is Africa's largest country. It boasts vast territory, abundant natural resources, a strategic Mediterranean coastline and a youthful population of over 45 million. It also has a well-equipped military, ranked 25th globally. So why does Algeria, a country with all the traditional hallmarks of a "big state", exert such limited influence on the global stage? In this book, Dalia Ghanem unpacks Algeria's "big state, small politics" paradox by meticulously examining four key hindering factors: internal political dynamics dominated by a security-focused military; a persistent rentier economy that stifles diversification and external engagement; a hesitant and often reactive foreign policy; and a neglected international image that fails to capitalize on its rich cultural heritage. Through this compelling analysis, the book not only sheds light on Algeria's trajectory but also offers crucial insights into the evolving dynamics of power and influence in the 21st century. The book broaches a central puzzle in international relations and is essential reading for anyone interested in global affairs, North African politics, and the shifting landscape of international power.

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  • accessibility@bloomsbury.com

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Table of Contents

Figures.
Preface: The Giant and the Echo.
Foreword.
Acknowledgements.
Abbreviations.

Introduction.
Algeria's Paradox: Big State, Small Voice.

Chapter I: The Generals' Republic: Why Algeria Bows to the Barracks.
Born in Battle: The FLN and the Origins of Military Hegemony.
The Entrenchment of Authority: The FLN and the Consolidation of Power
Manufactured Memory: Narrative Control and Muting Dissent
The FLN: Architect of Continuity, Instrument of Power
La Grande Muette: The Enduring Grip of Algeria's Military.
The Uniform Takes Command: Algeria's Decades of Military Dominance.
Under the Generals' Gaze: From the “Black Decade” to the Hirak.
The Unyielding Grip of the Uniforms.

Chapter II: Wealth Without Wisdom.
The Architecture of Fiscal Defense and Social Control
Defensive Rent: The Price of Silence.
The Liquidation of Strategic Capital or How to Burn the Future.
The Gridlock of Governance: Institutionalizing the Status Quo.
From Revolutionary Provision to the Logic of Patronage.
The SOE-SOB Nexus: Banking on Failure.

Chapter III: A Foreign Policy of Fortresses.
Forging the Fortress Doctrine.
When Algiers Roared: The Golden Age of Algerian Diplomacy.
The Colonel's Choice: Chadli and the Pragmatism Trap.
The “Black Decade”: From Mecca to Fortress.
Navigating the Post-Fortress Era.
The Illusion of Return: Re-engagement and Retreat Under Bouteflika.
Tebboune's Foreign Policy: An Outward Push for an Inward Gaze.
The Fortress or the Horizon?

Chapter IV: The Unsung Narrative: Algeria's Untapped Soft Power.
The Anatomy of a Muted Voice.
A Wasted Inheritance: Algeria's Revolutionary Capital
An Engineered Narrative Vacuum: The Costs of Media Obstruction.
The Price of Passivity: The Western Sahara Diplomatic Quagmire.
The “Black Hole”: A Policy of Silence in a World of Stories.
Cultural Exports: Individual Brilliance, State Obstruction?.
Cinema: An Orphaned Industry.
Literature: A Republic of Letters in Exile.
Raï: An Accidental Soft Power Victory.
An Inward-Looking Economy: Underperforming Pillars of Attraction.

Conclusion.
The Behemoth in the Bunker: Will Algeria Trade Its Cage for Its Strength?

Product details

Bloomsbury Academic Test
Published 21 Jan 2027
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 1st
Pages 208
ISBN 9781350615403
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

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