ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides context and analytical tools with which to better explore and engage with our three supranational bodies. It focuses on the Arab League, as being the region's oldest and only universal body it is important to engage with its history and its achievements and failures. The book also focuses on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and follows a similar pattern. It explores the GCC's structure and evolution, its role in regional disputes, and its social and economic activities, which are the most advanced in the Arab world. The book explains the regional and international context in which the international institutions of the region operate. It discusses the three key international organizations of the region, focusing on three key issue areas that form the bodies' main areas of operation—namely, economic integration, security concerns, and socio-cultural activities.
