The Arab Spring: Triggers, Dynamics and Prospects

a man in sunglasses celebrates, courtesy of flickr

Libyan rebel in Benghazi

The Arab Spring caught virtually all students of the region by surprise. To help clarify why this was so, this policy brief discusses the causes and implications of this momentous event. But what about the future? It notes that parliamentary elections and constitutional debates in North Africa and the Middle East have been notable for their open criticism of the remaining autocracies. Whether this openness will translate to continued change and fundamental redirections in government policies, however, remains an open question. To enhance the odds of future political transformation, the text concludes, the West should participate in the process as a non-paternalistic partner.

Open Access (Creative Commons License Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Germany)

Download: