ABSTRACT
The effects of smallness on state behaviour depend on systemic variables that vary over time and space. Specific regional systems such as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have particular attributes that can drastically change the leverage and security of small states. Through the investigation of the regional manifestation of the process of state-formation, the particularities of the modern state structure, norms related to conflicts and war, as well as changes in the regional balance of power, the chapter argues that the MENA system is more beneficial for small states in terms of their room to manoeuvre and security than traditional IR theory or area studies would suggest. These circumstances enable smaller Gulf states to have a greater role in international politics than is expected by the literature.
