POLS 490R-003: Advanced Seminar: Arab Spring (Fall 2012)

Semester Details: In January 2011 a massive wave of protests broke out across the Arab world which virtually no one saw coming. The protests toppled long-ruling dictators Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and de-stabilized authoritarian political systems in Yemen, Syria, Bahrain and other Arab states. Scholars are still struggling to identify the causes and dynamics of the protests, as well as the changes occurring in their wake. In this seminar, we take a closer look at the events of the “Arab Spring”, as well as the efforts of scholars in political science and other disciplines to explain them. We will examine the role of youth, the military, and secular and Islamist groups in the protests, as well as how the creative use of new social media (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.) contributed to their success. We will also consider why Middle East scholars failed to anticipate the protests, and how such events have challenged our assumptions about politics in the region. Further, we will consider why some Arab regimes were overwhelmed by the protests while others survived them relatively intact. Finally, we will examine the dynamics of the political transitions underway in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, including the stunning transformation of formerly marginalized Islamist groups into powerful actors at the center stage of public life. Here we will consider whether the aspirations of Arab citizens for freedom, dignity and relief from economic hardship are likely to be fulfilled at a time that new governments are facing vexing challenges for which they are no quick and easy solutions. Throughout the semester, discussion of media report and scholarly analysis of the Arab Spring will be supplemented by videos and films which documents the events unfolding in real time.