Open    Access



A Securitization-Perspective Analysis of Water Disputes in the Jordan River Basin



Author(s)

ZHANG Jieying

Full-Text PDF XML     529 Views

DOI:10.17265/2328-2134/2022.05.003

Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Severe water shortage and uneven water distribution plague countries in the Middle East, especially the Jordan River Basin. As a strategic resource with competitive political nature, water resources are closely related to national security, and become the core resource arena that countries along the river basin compete for. This study argues that under the combined effect of the natural factors of water shortage, the geographical factors of uneven distribution of rivers across boundaries, and the subjective factors of water politics (the unfair setting of rules for water allocation), water disputes in the Middle East have become obstacles to regional peace, and the serious uneven distribution of water is the root cause of regional water disputes. Neither the historical water conflicts nor the existing water cooperation framework has solved the problem of balanced water distribution, which makes the people in basin countries directly face the crisis of survival rights and national security, and lays the fuse for the outbreak of regional water disputes and even future water wars. This study proposes the concept and analytical framework of “water securitization” based on securitization theory, and applies it to the Jordan River Basin, to analyze the reasons for the uneven distribution of water resources in the Middle East. The power-dominant state with asymmetric power in the river basin obtains the status of water hegemony by securitizing water, realizing the self-interested distribution of water resources, which leads to the uneven distribution of water resources, and ultimately leads to the outbreak of conflicts and disputes. Specifically, it mainly adopts three mechanisms of discursive securitization, operational securitization, and institutional securitization. Looking to the future, it is difficult to successfully resolve water disputes in the Middle East in the short term, and a “de-securitization” approach is particularly important in resolving water disputes and easing regional security tension. Only by adopting a multi-field joint strategy can it provide the possibility to effectively resolve water disputes in the Jordan River Basin.

the Middle East Region, the Jordan River Basin, water disputes, securitization, water securitization

ZHANG Jieying. (2022). A Securitization-Perspective Analysis of Water Disputes in the Jordan River Basin. International Relations and Diplomacy, Sept.-Oct. 2022, Vol. 10, No. 5, 229-238.