Tunisia | openDemocracy

“Only war makes it possible to mobilize all of today’s technical resources while maintaining the property system.”

- Walter Benjamin, 1936

Obama and the Middle East: the lessons of Iraq?

Fawaz A Gerges 18 February 2013

Why has the Obama administration been reluctant to intervene directly in the raging Syrian conflict, or even to arm the rebels? Why did the US president refuse to take ownership of the NATO mission in Libya, failing to engage in Tunisia and Egypt? What makes sense of Obama’s strategy towards the greater Middle East?

The assassination of the political leader Chokri Belaid: is it the end of Tunisian exceptionalism?

Mohamed-Salah Omri 14 February 2013

Responses to his death may well mark the end of the line for Islamist politics as we know it in Tunisia. It may also mark the rise of a unified opposition, which now realizes that its fight is not only, or no longer, for freedom of expression and association but an existential one, a matter of survival.

Tunisia: a counterrevolutionary moment?

Corinna Mullin 9 February 2013

A general strike was called yesterday, there are ongoing protests across the country and calls for the military to enter into the political arena in a more robust way.

The visit of a controversial Muslim to Tunisia sparks debate

Sana Ajmi 4 February 2013

Tunisia is well known for its moderate interpretation of Islam. However during the last couple of years, a more conservative interpretation of Islam, or Salafism, has spread widely throughout Tunisian society.

Tunisia’s political dysfunction rests on a fierce power struggle

Meriem Dhaouadi 4 February 2013

The political players (the ones in government and the opposition) should accelerate their efforts today towards reaching consensus and putting Tunisia above everything else.

Presidents, Prime Ministers and the Arab Spring

Sujit Choudhry and Richard Stacey 21 January 2013

After a year of quiet turmoil under Ennahda's rule, post-revolution Tunisia faces many challenges. Sujit Choudhry and Richard Stacey have had a look at semi-presidentialism and have been evaluating which political system would be more beneficial to Tunisia's citizens.

Don't hate the revolution, hate the power-play

Meriem Dhaouadi 21 January 2013

Weariness with unfulfilled promises, deteriorating economic conditions and the rising threat of violence was rather visible on the day celebrating the second anniversary of the Tunisian revolution.

In Tunisia, another Sufi shrine is vandalized

Sana Ajmi 21 January 2013

For many opposition parties the government is not doing enough to protect the country from extremism.

Tunisian constitutionalism and the draft constitution of December 2012

Mohamed-Salah Omri 13 January 2013

One may indeed speak of an orderly, leaderless transfer of power in January 2011 specifically because constitutionalism was strong and alive.

Tunisian graffiti artists targeted by law

Sana Ajmi 16 December 2012

Berriche and Bouagila were arrested November 3 for writing on the wall of a university: “the people want rights for the poor” and “the poor are the living-dead in Tunisia.”

Lessons from Egypt and Tunisia

Salam Kawakibi 13 December 2012

The lessons learned from Egypt and Tunisia are that the only solution for the successful handling of transitions, away from the reproduction of authoritarian models – even those with good intentions – is a collaborative approach during the fundamental building stages, regardless of the outcome of the ballot boxes.

The upcoming general strike in Tunisia: a historical perspective

Mohamed-Salah Omri 12 December 2012

The first general strike in Tunisia since 1978 takes place in a much-changed country and against old friends but for rather similar reasons.

Tunisia: economic pressures threaten the regime‘s survival

Meriem Dhaouadi 9 December 2012

A general strike will take place on Thursday, December 13, across Tunisia, a rare call, actually the third to be made by the powerful UGTT since its foundation in 1946.

Tunisians caught between the crowd and the political scene

Kacem Jlidi 9 December 2012

At the end of the day, most of the political sphere disagreements are not of any importance to the ordinary Tunisian and they ought to be resolved away from the public sphere.

Tunisia: Siliana and the heritage of Farhat Hached sixty years after his assassination

Rob Prince 5 December 2012

Farhat Hached is still making history in Tunisia, where the government is fixated on shifting Tunisian society in a more religious direction, while failing to address the country’s appalling poverty and unemployment. We learn about that history.

This week's editor

Niki Seth-Smith is a freelance journalist and co-editor of OurKingdom.

Europe from the bottom up

European Union stars in Paris. Flickr/notarim. Some rights reserved.

A new Europe can only come from the bottom up
Etienne Balibar

A social Europe must be a political Europe
Bo Stråth

As Europe is provincialized: a reply to Etienne Balibar
Sandro Mezzadra

European debate

A republican call for a basic income
Daniel Raventos and Julie Wark

Nuclear non-proliferation

Women and the Arab Spring

oDRussia at journalismfestival .com

Mali - the plot thickens

Remote control war

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