In the months following the start of the Arab Revolutions, articles and analysis poured into openDemocracy from contributors across the Middle East and Europe: see the five key themes in our right hand column. Gradually, the impact of Tahrir Square began to extend well beyond the Middle East as democratic inspiration travelled from east to west. On this page, we wish to capture that inspiration and use it to help us read a rapidly changing world.

Looking to the future of the Arab Spring, we have chosen three new avenues for exploration: on the Tahrir Square 'meme'; on Social innovation in the region; and You tell us.

Democracy and its definitions: a talk by Donatella Della Porta

Veronica Barassi 17 February 2012
Presenting the data gathered through an extensive, cross-national research project carried out in different European countries, Della Porta argued that the idea of democracy proposed by contemporary social movements is radically different from the logic of representation and delegation proposed by liberal governments.

America, Israel, Iran: mediation vs war

Paul Rogers 16 February 2012

A military build-up, harsh rhetoric, third-country attacks - and the political calendar - make war against Iran a real possibility. It is all the more vital that those attempting to avert it should succeed.

Lessons from the Maldives for the Middle East

Andrew Wigley 16 February 2012
The coup d’état in the Maldives doesn’t augur well for democracy in the Middle East and North Africa. Andrew Wigley argues that the process of detoxifying a nation after dictatorship may take decades

Palestine's deal, and an emerging paradigm

Yossi Alpher 16 February 2012
The leading Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, signed a declaration in Doha on 5 February 2012 that committed them to work together. It promises to be a significant moment for Israel and the west too, says Yossi Alpher.

What we are reading - February 13, 2012

Arab Awakening 15 February 2012
Our readers help us highlight what they are reading about the Arab Spring from around the web...

Women, democracy and dictatorship

Sami Zubaida 15 February 2012

In the early and middle decades of the twentieth century it was always Middle Eastern dictators who embarked on policy and legislation which liberated and empowered women in both family and society. The dictators liberated women in the good days, but retreated under pressure, and it was the populists ushered in by ‘democracy’ who oppressed women.

Political Islam in Egypt: a bright future

Hasnet Lais 14 February 2012
Contrary to the fears of some western observers, Islam has had a strong tradition of rule of law and religious and political freedom. There is no reason for concern about the electoral success of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

What to do about Syria's new war?

Mary Kaldor 12 February 2012
The key to any intervention is to combine upholding human rights inside Syria with de-escalation of the broader regional conflict. Far from being contradictory, these two goals – human rights and peace – reinforce each other.

Proxy wars: could the US end up supporting al-Qaeda-like groups in Syria?

Ahmed E. Souaiaia 9 February 2012
Syrian state-controlled media blames most of the deaths on armed groups (which it calls terrorists). These allegations have awakened Russia’s dormant–but not forgotten–memory of the Saudi-American alliance that created the Mujahidin networks in Afghanistan, which in turn defeated the Soviet Union.

The Arab revolts in year two

Volker Perthes 9 February 2012
The uprisings across the Arab world are becoming more complex and variable as they enter their second year. This makes it all the more important to identify their main dynamics, says Volker Perthes.

How the Arab League turned against Syria

Sean Mann 9 February 2012
Why did the Arab League, once perceived as an ineffective dictators’ club, end up taking the side of anti-government protesters against the Syrian regime? Does its humanitarian rhetoric simply conceal its most powerful member states’ true motives: concern over the geopolitical distribution of power?

Israel-Palestine negotiations in an election year

Michele Monni 7 February 2012
All the parties have an apparent interest in pursuing the talks further, although largely to gain political consensus at home.

Yemen after Saleh: between uncertainties and divisions

Maria Serra 6 February 2012
After nearly nine months of protests, more than 900 deaths and approximately 25,000 wounded, the President of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh has transferred power to his deputy, Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi.

Tunisia: a year of all dangers

Vicken Cheterian 6 February 2012
Tunisia is both the pioneer of the Arab spring and its greatest success so far. But even here the political and economic tests are acute, says Vicken Cheterian.

What we are reading - February 6, 2012

Arab Awakening 5 February 2012
Our readers help us highlight what they are reading about the Arab Spring from around the web...

Columnist of the Week

Omer Harari

The boundaries of Israeli unity

Syria: 'cold war redux'?

Syria's war, Israel's trap
Paul Rogers

The Iranian key to the Syrian crisis
Heiko Wimmen

Has Turkey reached a dead-end in Syria?
Firdevs Robinson

oD author detained in Dubai

"Mr. Ulrichsen believes that an article he wrote last summer "The U.A.E.: Holding Back the Tide," may have played a part in his blacklisting."
- Chronicle of Higher Education


Rita from Syria

Latest article:

Syrian colours: the greys

Rap and the Arab Spring

Interview with Arab rappers Ibn Thabit and Deeb

Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3

Full Event, Rap and the Arab Spring

Mali in crisis

The Mali effect
Stephen Ellis

Mali, and remote-control war
Paul Rogers

Qatar intervening in northern Mali?
Mehdi Lazar

Follow us on twitter

openAwakening on Twitter

Our Editors

Bassam Gergi

Bassam Gergi

Associate Editor of Arab Awakening is pursuing an M.Phil in Comparative Government at Oxford University

Mazen Zoabi

Mazen Zoabi

Translation Editor of Arab Awakening is a psychology graduate with an interest in film

Support Arab Awakening

If you would like to support the work of the Arab Awakening editors, please get in touch with the Editor: Rosemary Bechler

Partners

Revolution
We would like to thank the Network for Social Change for their generous support of our work

Syndicate content