Federalism and Decentralization in the Contemporary Middle East and North Africa, Edited by Aslı Ü. Bâli and Omar M. Dajani.

The article discusses a book that examines decentralization in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It covers various case studies, including Kurdish autonomy in Iraq, decentralization proposals in Turkey, governance in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, regionalization initiatives in Morocco, constitution-making processes in collapsed states like Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen, local governance in Libya, decentralization experiments in Syria, and federalism in Yemen. The book highlights the challenges and complexities of decentralization in the MENA region, emphasizing that it is an ongoing process influenced by shifting power dynamics. The article suggests that the book could benefit from including more perspectives from leaders involved in autonomy negotiations, providing more concrete details on institutional design, and addressing counterarguments to proposed solutions. Additionally, it recommends more systematic evaluation of the degree and nature of decentralization introduced, more analysis of localized authorities' governance needs, and more attention to the political economy of state collapse and public attitudes towards decentralization. Overall, the book provides valuable insights into decentralization experiences in the MENA region and contributes to the existing literature on the topic. [Extracted from the article]