What accounts for the development of the Arab states system from the e
xplosive mix of Arab nationalism and sovereignty to their simultaneous
existence? To understand this development, one must first examine how
institutions can shape the very interests and roles of states in such
a manner as to encourage the development of relatively stable expecta
tions and shared norms; that is, regional order. This approach illumin
ates how inter-Arab interactions and state formation processes led to
the consolidation of sovereignty and a meaning of Arab nationalism tha
t is consistent with sovereignty. Consequently, this region highlights
how sovereignty-and its lack thereof-is consequential for understandi
ng interstate dynamics, and how different meanings of the nation have
different implications for security.