Description
Abstract: In light of the astronomical importance of outer space to our economies today and given that access to space is no longer limited to the great powers, it is of the utmost importance to extend the scope of the concept of astropolitics to new space players such as the Gulf States. My research seeks to examine their spatial policies and investigate how they both reflect and impact their identities and regional dynamics in the Middle East. Drawing on a constructivist framework, this research paper not only fills a gap in the astropolitics literature, but also challenges the default realist paradigm by emphasizing the socially constructed nature of space as a domain of competition and collaboration. Through comparative and qualitative analyses of international collaborations, national initiatives and the space strategies of Gulf space powers, this work intends to understand how Gulf countries perceive themselves and engage with space policy, exploring the dual potential of space to exacerbate regional conflicts and hegemonic rivalries as well as to foster new avenues of cooperation and partnership in the the Middle East.
Key Words: Astropolitics, Outer Space, Gulf countries, Middle East, Hegemony, Constructivism
