The impact of external factors on the self-government efforts of minorities: a theoretical study

The instability which the Middle East has experienced over the past decade has given rise to several questions, perhaps the most important of which is: can an Arab country maintain its unity and stability in the face of increasing challenges likely to threaten the state monopoly on power? One of these challenges pertains to some minorities' growing demands for autonomy.
A case in point is the Kurds of Syria, where the regime has significantly lost control as far as politics, security and geography are concerned, mainly on account of the influence of external factors, such as foreign penetration and attempts by regional and international players to take advantage of the fragility of the state so as to make substantial gains.
The current study attempts to propose a theoretical vision with which to understand the relationship between external factors on the one hand and some minorities' demand for autonomy on the other hand.
The study shall also attempt to shed light on the most important approaches that can be followed in order to gain an understanding of the nature of the effect exercised by external factors, as well as the forms and patterns which the question of autonomy can take. Furthermore, the study shall investigate the theoretical frameworks which better clarify the relationship between the study's two main variables.