ABSTRACT

Systemic approaches have enjoyed periodic prominence in the study of international relations over the past fifty years. These approaches have also been subjected to a variety of critiques which have questioned both their logic and usefulness. At the same time, new attempts have been made to undertake systemic analyses o f regional international relations, particularly in the developing world. This chapter seeks to explore the scope as well as uses and limitations o f such approaches both in general and in the study of Middle East international relations and foreign policy.