Tag Archives: Arab spring

Media and Political transformations in the Arab Spring

This Wednesday (15 May 2013) I will have the honour of introducing a documentary film ‘Words of Witness’ as it premieres as part of the Human Right Arts and Film Festival (HRAFF). The documentary was made in during the Egyptian uprising, by filmmaker Mai Iskander and follows Heba Afify, an online journalist reporting from the […] … learn more→

The Arab Spring one year on: the challenges of reforms and democratic transition

The Arab Spring, now entering its second year, was no random event. Rather, it was a synthesis of many interconnected failings within the post-colonial Arab state system ranging from endemic political corruption, to dire economic stagnation and associated social marginalisation of the masses to list just the obvious ones. But revolutions, as idealistic and romantic […] … learn more→

Contemporary protests are embracing an \”Open Door\” policy

As the \”Arab Spring\” turns to fall and New York\’s \”Occupy Wall Street\” protest continues to draw international headlines, a new model of social and political protest has emerged. Based on informal leadership and a multitude of voices, contemporary protests have the potential to become more widespread than ever before. In her lab, Dr. Tali […] … learn more→

The myth of the Arab Spring

The western media tends to portray the political uprisings in the Middle East as being broadly motivated by similar reasons and led by similar groups of tech-savvy young people, but surveys of people in the region paint a very different picture, a leading Cambridge researcher will tell a debate on the Arab Spring next week. […] … learn more→

Food crises and political instability in North Africa and the Middle East

The spring 2011 protests and revolutions in North Africa and the Middle East (commonly referred to as “Arab Spring”) were fueled by many factors, including frustrations with existing political regimes, a growing youth population, online social networks, and a shortage of employment opportunities. An additional factor that deserves attention in this circumstance, and more broadly, […] … learn more→