Wake Turbulence of the 2017 Qatar-GCC Diplomatic Crisis

Abstract

The international linkages between autocratic regimes have gained increasing attention in recent years but remain poorly understood. This literature is often limited by a selective focus on a specific set of international networks and a lack of systematic empirical analysis of linkages across time and space. In this paper, I seek to contribute to our understanding of international linkages amongst autocratic regimes by using changes in state-owned airline patterns to capture the shifts in the underlying geopolitics of the Middle East. I will focus on the 2017 GCC-Qatar diplomatic crisis to illustrate how changes in flight patterns offer broader insights into states’ perceptions, strategies, and alliances in the region.