Race and Ethnicity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) represents a vast geographical region made up of twenty countries. The region’s population is over 570 million and comprises more than ten different ethnic groups, the largest being the Arabs, Turks, Persians, and Kurds. Against the backdrop of this diversity, ethnic tensions have become central in shaping the region. In order to understand the complexities of these tensions and their contemporary manifestations, it is crucial to consider their historical and colonial roots. In particular, the Ottoman Empire’s millet system and Europe’s colonisation of the region. The Sunni/Shiite tensions, the Jewish/Arab tensions, and the ‘Kurdish question’ are therefore considered here to represent key tensions that continue to shape the region. Although questions of ethnicity tend to dominate, those surrounding ‘race’ have been deemed ambiguous and, to some scholars, non-existent. This is despite the region’s history of slavery, which was widespread under the Ottoman Empire and condoned and regulated in Islamic law. However, issues surrounding race and racism are increasingly becoming apparent and contemplated across the region.