The Arab Spring, Civil Society, and Innovative Activism [electronic resource] /
Çakmak, Cenap.editor.
This book investigates the role of civil society groups in the making of the Arab Spring and under what conditions they attained their goals. Democracy and recognition of human rights and fundamental freedoms seem to be the main drives of civil and grassroots movements in the Arab Spring countries, but it is essential to identify when they find it suitable to take such extreme action as taking to the streets in an attempt to take down repressive regimes. It is also important to investigate what methods they relied on in their action and how they challenged the state and the government. The focused case-studies in this volume show that civil society has certain limitations in its actions. They also challenge the commonly held assumption that the Arab world does not have a strong and rich civil society tradition. However, for lasting success and consolidation of democracy, something more than civil society action is needed, in particular, a strong organized opposition and democratic culture.
Includes bibliographical references at the end of each chapters and index.
1. Introduction  -- 2. "Dogs of Wall Street, Let Us Alone": Graffiti in Cold War Baghdad, 1953  -- 3. When Pundits Fail: "We Are All Khalid Said" and the Challenge of Democratizing Egypt  -- 4. Civil Society and Political Change in Contemporary Egypt  -- 5. Social Media and the Arab Spring in Bahrain: From Mobilization to Confrontation  -- 6. The Middle Eastern Gender Gap: The State of Female Political Participation Before, During and After the 'Arab Spring'  -- 7. The Arab Spring through a Libyan Prism: Contagion, Cleavages and Adverse Transition  -- 8. Re-imagining the 'state' of Syria during the first year of the uprising (2011-2012)  -- 9. Rooted in History: The Politics of Middle Eastern and North African Soccer  -- 10. Civil State in the post Arab Spring Countries: Tunisia, Egypt and Libya  -- 11. Conclusion.
This book investigates the role of civil society groups in the making of the Arab Spring and under what conditions they attained their goals. Democracy and recognition of human rights and fundamental freedoms seem to be the main drives of civil and grassroots movements in the Arab Spring countries, but it is essential to identify when they find it suitable to take such extreme action as taking to the streets in an attempt to take down repressive regimes. It is also important to investigate what methods they relied on in their action and how they challenged the state and the government. The focused case-studies in this volume show that civil society has certain limitations in its actions. They also challenge the commonly held assumption that the Arab world does not have a strong and rich civil society tradition. However, for lasting success and consolidation of democracy, something more than civil society action is needed, in particular, a strong organized opposition and democratic culture.
Middle East—Politics and government.
World politics.
Africa—Politics and government.
Democracy.
Middle Eastern Politics.
Political History.
African Politics.
Democracy.