Despite decades of international pressure, Arab regimes' adoption of trade liberalizing policies has been varied, selective, and often ineffective; neoliberal trade policies have not deepened international trade in many Arab markets. This book explains why. 

 

Mirages of Reform argues that geopolitics and social connections between state and capital shape the Arab world's uneven trade policies. When regimes have strong support from global powers like the United States (US) or the European Union (EU) and strong social connections to the industrial elite, they engage in extensive but deceptive trade policy reform: Behind an edifice of liberalizing trade policies, illicit forms of protectionism like tax evasion, insider information, and uncompetitive procurement shield the socially connected from international competition. Industrialists opposed to trade liberalization are less trustful of regime promises of neopatrimonial protection after reform when they have weak social connections to their regime and their regime has low geopolitical value to foreign patrons. These opponents are more likely to mobilize to defend existing protectionist policies under these conditions, resulting in less trade policy reform. International and domestic factors interact to shape the Arab world's uneven trade policy landscape.

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Combining deep case knowledge with advanced quantitative methods, this award-winning manuscript clarifies why protectionist policies persist in some Arab markets, and not others. It will be released with Cornell University Press in May 2025. Click the link below to access the book's online materials, and scroll down to read reviews and watch a book talk.

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​Online Materials (Appendix, Data)

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​Reviews

 

“A fresh take on longstanding debates about the persistence of trade protectionism in the Arab world. Through an in-depth study of Jordan and regional extensions, Monroe traces how domestic and international factors enable governments to maintain protectionist policies while ostensibly undertaking trade policy reform. This is a must-read for anyone interested in economic underdevelopment in the Arab world.” – Melani Cammett, Harvard University.

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"If you’ve ever wondered how economic privileges bestowed on politically connected firms help them beat not only domestic, but also international, competition, this book is a must-read. Monroe convincingly shows how Arab countries liberalizing under Western pressure replaced de jure trade protection for all with de facto protection for the few." - Ishac Diwan, Paris School of Economics.

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“Mirages of Reform develops an original and ambitious argument about trade reforms and cronyism in the Arab world through a combination of deep case knowledge and advanced quantitative methods. The book’s theoretical framing will be of interest to political economists beyond the MENA region.”—Steffen Hertog, London School of Economics.

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“Based on a carefully researched and nuanced understanding of social ties and geopolitics in Jordan, Mirages of Reform provides important lessons for students of political economy and the region, and cautionary notes for policymakers seeking to use liberal trade policies as tools of peace and prosperity." -Ellen Lust, Cornell University and University of Gothenburg.

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“Mirages of Reform delivers a unique and persuasive investigation into the politics of trade reform and protection in Jordan and elsewhere. Based on multiple levels of evidence linking geopolitical pressures to policy implementation, the book advances broader understandings of political variation in trade across the Middle East and North Africa.”—Pete Moore, Case Western Reserve University.​

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Invited Talks (Recordings)

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Varieties of Protectionism, University College London (UCL), April 26, 2024 (Virtual).

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