The Arab Spring: Misconceptions and Prospects (original) (raw)
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Five years after the Arab Spring: a critical evaluation
Third World Quarterly, 2016
A new political geography has emerged in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) after the Arab Spring. The transformative impact of the popular upheavals appeared to put an end to longterm authoritarian regimes. Today, the region is far from stable since authoritarian resilience violently pushed back popular demands for good governance and is pushing to restore former state structures. However, the collective consciousness of the popular revolts endures, and a transformative prospect may emerge on the horizon. The chaotic situation is the result of an ongoing struggle between those who seek change and transformation and others in favour of the status quo ante. A critical evaluation of the Arab Spring after five years indicates a continuous process of recalculation and recalibration of policies and strategies. There are alternative routes for an eventual settlement in the MENA region, which are in competition against both regional and transregional quests for a favourable order.
THE LEGACY OF THE ARAB SPRING: NEW FORCES AND FAULT LINES
"The Legacy of the Arab Spring: New Forces and Fault Lines," R/evolutions: Global Trends & Regional Issues, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2016
How did the Arab Spring change the Middle East? That is the main question on which this fourth issue of R/evolutions wants to zoom in. This issue therefore is divided in three parts: 'The Arab Spring in Perspective' provides an overview and some historical context of the Arab Uprisings to highlight its increasing complexity and interconnectedness in a globalizing world with various competing political groups. The second part, 'Unraveling the Uprisings,' focuses on the “Spring” itself by explaining the role of internal and external actors, and uncovering some underexplored dimensions. By deconstructing these ‘revolutions’ this part aims to provides an insightful glimpse of their transformative potential. The last part,' New Fault Lines & Legacies' will assess how MENA has been transformed by the Arab uprisings. Firstly by explaining the origins, drivers and impact of sectarianization in the region and then by focusing on Tunisia, the only successful democratic transition in the region triggered by the Arab Spring.
Revisiting "The Arab Spring" - Reprint
Eruditio- e-Journal of the World Academy of Art And Science, 2018
The article presents a critical analysis of the imposed construct of ‘The Arab Spring’. It presents an analytic description of a more realistic picture of what happened in the Arab World. There was discontent fomenting among the Arab peoples following what they saw had happened to them, not initiated by them, starting with the US’ invasion of Iraq, resulting in its breakup as a unified nation, the dismantling of its army and its institutions, the killing of its President, and the growing wave of the ‘Islamic Caliphate’ sweeping the Arab world. Egypt is now, six years after the second phase of the Revolution (2011-2013), growing into a democracy that has been born out of her historical identity, the national character of Egyptians, and the unique societal fabric of integrated diversity that rejects extremism and western-imposed models. In this article, I will revisit the notion of the ‘Arab Spring’ which I am frequently asked about. Most recently, this question was posed to me directly during the Future of Democracy Roundtable & Planning Workshop held at the Inter-University Centre in Dubrovnik, Croatia (organized by The World Academy of Art and Science and co-organized by The World University Consortium and The Global Round Table) on April 3-5, 2018. Perhaps this article would provide partial answers to that question.
A new political geography has emerged in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) after the Arab Spring. The transformative impact of the popular upheavals appeared to put an end to longterm authoritarian regimes. Today, the region is far from stable since authoritarian resilience violently pushed back popular demands for good governance and is pushing to restore former state structures. However, the collective consciousness of the popular revolts endures, and a transformative prospect may emerge on the horizon. The chaotic situation is the result of an ongoing struggle between those who seek change and transformation and others in favour of the status quo ante. A critical evaluation of the Arab Spring after five years indicates a continuous process of recalculation and recalibration of policies and strategies. There are alternative routes for an eventual settlement in the MENA region, which are in competition against both regional and transregional quests for a favourable order.
Revisiting "The Arab Spring", 2018
The article presents a critical analysis of the imposed construct of ‘The Arab Spring’. Instead it presents an analytic description of a more realistic picture of what happened in the Arab World. There was discontent fomenting among the Arab peoples following what they saw had happened to them, not by them, starting with the U.S. invasion of Iraq, resulting in its breakup as a unified nation, the dismantling of its army and its institutions, the killing of its President, and the growing wave of the ‘Islamic Caliphate’ sweeping the Arab world. Egypt is now, six years after the second phase of the Revolution (2011-2013) growing into a democracy that is born out of Egypt’s historical identity, the national character of Egyptians, and the unique societal fabric of integrated diversity that rejects extremism and western-imposed models.
2011
The heady Arab spring of 2011 has been succeeded by a summer of violence and uncertainty. There are conflicting interpretations of the meaning, nature and results of the revolutions. This article proposes a reading of the changes taking place in the middle East and North Africa based on a macro historical theory and envisions four possible outcomes. There is a danger that the insurrections, after weakening the nation-states, will revive tribal and sectarian divisions, as in Iraq. Political revolution must find fulfilment in an economic transformation and a social emancipation through a cultural renaissance according to the author,
Introduction to the Special Issue on the Arab Spring
University of Pennsylvania Journal of International Law, 2013
What quickly became known as the " Arab Spring" is a series of protest movements, reforn1 movements, and revolutions (son1e bloody and some relatively "bloodless") that l1as been ongoing for more than two years in the n1ajority-Muslim world of the Middle East and North Africa. Arab Spring recalls both the European Revolutions of 1848, dubbed the "Springtime of the Peoples," as well as the Prague Spring of 1968. And the events have drawn comparisons to the post-Soviet revolutions of 1989. The compilation of essays contained in this Special Issue of the Journal of lntenwtiounl Lmu reflects on these events from a variety of academic and policy perspectives, and grows out of the Journal's Novem.ber 2011 symposium entitled "Democracy in the Niiddle East."