MIRGOROD D.A., PARUBOCHAYA E.F. The Narrative of Metus Hostilis (“Feeling of the Enemy”) as the Basis of Contemporary International Developments in the Middle East
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2026.2.12
Denis A. Mirgorod,
Candidate of Sciences (Politics), Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Oriental Languages and Cultures, Pyatigorsk State University, Prosp. Kalinina, 9, 357532 Pyatigorsk, Russian Federation,
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0814-918X
Elena F. Parubochaya,
Candidate of Sciences (History), Associate Professor, Department of History and International Relations, Director of the Center of Public Diplomacy, Volgograd State University, Prosp. Universitetsky, 100, 400062 Volgograd, Russian Federation,
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2115-6595
Abstract. Introduction. The article examines the features of current international processes in the Middle East region, which are largely associated with the ongoing antagonism of various regional actors. Arab-Israeli contradictions and the confrontation between Iran and the Arab states and Israel are one of the key variables in the analysis of the military-political situation in the Middle East. These collisions are often based on the narrative of metus hostilis (“feeling of the enemy”), which forms the corresponding agenda and is aimed at justifying the policy of a particular state. Methods and materials. During the preparation of the article, the authors used a scientifi c approach that interprets international relations through the emotional component (“geopolitics of emotions”). Also, the methodological basis of the work was the theory of securitization, which considers security as a form of discursive practice. Analysis. Currently, the Middle East region is experiencing a phase of escalation in relations between various states of the region, associated with the aggravation of the Palestinian-Israeli confl ict and a direct clash between Israel and Iran, in which other countries of the region also took an indirect part. At the same time, before the new round of confrontation, Arab-Israeli and Saudi-Iranian peace initiatives were being implemented, which allowed us to speak with moderate optimism about a potential reduction in tensions in the region. However, the current events in the Middle East have once again actualized the metus hostilis principle in regional international processes. Results. The authors conclude that, despite the efforts made to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, the region remains an arena of ongoing confrontation between various states. As practice has shown, the Arab-Israeli and Iranian narratives, due to their deep roots in many Middle Eastern processes, cannot be eliminated immediately and must undergo a long-term test of their durability and effectiveness. This is especially true in the context of a constantly changing regional agenda and a transforming external environment. The global context and the constant increase in tensions between leading international actors can also contribute to the continued relevance of the emotional component of Middle Eastern geopolitics. As a result, the current reshaping of relations between regional states is an attempt to address the most pressing and long-standing issues based on the narrative of metus hostilis. Authors’ contribution. D.A. Mirgorod developed the content of the article and carried out its general scientifi c editing. E.F. Parubochaya analyzed the features of modern international processes in the Middle East based on the infl uence of the “enemy feeling” factor.
Key words: Middle East, geopolitics of emotions, narratives, Arab-Israeli normalization, Iran-Saudi accords, metus hostilis.
Citation. Mirgorod D.A., Parubochaya E.F. The Narrative of Metus Hostilis (“Feeling of the Enemy”) as the Basis of Contemporary International Developments in the Middle East. Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya 4. Istoriya. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya [Science Journal of Volgograd State University. History. Area Studies. International Relations], 2026, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 142-152. (in Russian). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2026.2.12
The Narrative of Metus Hostilis (“Feeling of the Enemy”) as the Basis of Contemporary International Developments in the Middle East © 2026 by Mirgorod D.A., Parubochaya E.F. is licensed under CC BY 4.0 
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