Appraising the youth uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa
Azita BerarWhat is it?
It is ten years since several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), were swept by waves of peaceful youth-led protests, longing for economic and social justice and political freedoms. These uprisings also called the “Arab Spring”, eventually led to the fall of long-established leaders in some countries (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya), ushered attempts of reform in others (Morocco, Algeria, Jordan), and stalled in protracted and violent civil strife in others (Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen) where competing for external interventions have compounded internal polarization.
In this Policy Brief, Azita argues that the transformational impact of the “Arab Spring” process is more complex, global, and open-ended than is generally acknowledged.