PARALLELS BETWEEN THE FOREIGN POLICY TENDENCIES OF ARAB STATES AND THE CONTENTS OF THEIR NATIONAL ANTHEMS

Abstract

This paper investigates the parallels between the foreign policy aspirations of Arab states and their national anthems by making the content analysis of their lyrics. The lyrics of national anthems, as poetic declarations of the national feelings and the raison d’état of independent states, present important clues about the national interest conceptualization and foreign policy orientation. After the content analysis of the national anthems of Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Jordan, this paper finds out that the lyrics of the anthems of Arab republics include more patriotic words and stronger tone than those of the monarchies; and their tones get stronger in times of conflict and war. Unlike republics, Arab monarchies seem to prefer shorter lyrics and use their anthems even without lyrics for a long time. Republics attach specific importance to the anthems in terms of promoting the national values and expressing the feelings of their people about independence, and their anthems are mostly selected by organizing national competitions. For Arab republics it would appear that the changes in their anthems accompany the changes in their foreign policy. Whenever Arab republics involve in more conflictual foreign policy, their anthems accompany with stronger lyrics while their tones get softer in the times of peace.