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Articles 1 - 6 of 6
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
How And Why Do Dictatorships Survive? Lessons For The Middle East, Erica Frantz
How And Why Do Dictatorships Survive? Lessons For The Middle East, Erica Frantz
Bridgewater Review
Political events in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have dominated news headlines for the past two years. Since the revolution in Tunisia in December 2010, one dictatorship after the next has appeared on the verge of collapse, as citizens gather en masse to voice their demands for democratic governance. In countries such as Libya and Egypt, though relatively successful democratic elections were held following the collapse of long-standing dictatorships, it is uncertain whether the new political system being installed will be democratic or autocratic. When looking to the future of the region beyond the Arab Spring, one thing …
Will The Arab Spring Succeed In Bringing Bread, Freedom, And Dignity?, Sandra Popiden
Will The Arab Spring Succeed In Bringing Bread, Freedom, And Dignity?, Sandra Popiden
Bridgewater Review
Economic discontent fueled the political dissatisfaction that erupted in the Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen in 2011. Demonstrators blamed repressive authoritarian governments for slow economic growth, increasing poverty and social inequality, high youth unemployment and rampant corruption. Alongside demands for increased political freedom, greater participation in politics, and an end to repression were calls for economic freedom and improved well-being. The uprisings, which spawned democracy in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, continue to reverberate across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by opening up previously closed public spaces to wider popular participation in national debates over …
Social Media And Political Changes In Al-Alam Al-Arabi, Jabbar Al-Obaidi
Social Media And Political Changes In Al-Alam Al-Arabi, Jabbar Al-Obaidi
Bridgewater Review
The Arab countries are typically described as lacking democratic traditions, freedom of the press, human rights and civil liberties. The utilization of social media for political purposes became crucial to the widespread expression of pent-up social discontent that precipitated the Arab Spring. Uploaded videos, photos, and Twitter feeds served to outrage people in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria. This volatile combination of a young population, authoritarian rule, corruption and poverty is prompting youth to spearhead political demonstrations and the demand for regime change.
The Obama Effect In The Arab World, Ryan J. Suto
The Obama Effect In The Arab World, Ryan J. Suto
Exchange: The Journal of Public Diplomacy
This paper tests the Obama Effect hypothesis with respect to the Arab world. The paper first presents popular uses of the term and then discusses the thin scholarly literature on the topic. For quantitative data, the paper uses longitudinal data from the Annual Arab Public Opinion Poll from 2004 to 2011, with supplemental data from the Pew Research Center. Furthermore, the paper analyzed data on the Arab Spring in the context of a possible Obama Effect and policy implications for the future of U.S. foreign policy. The paper found insufficient support for the hypothesis due to a lack of theoretical …
The New Public Diplomacy: The Winning Move In Revolutions, Shannon Zimmerman
The New Public Diplomacy: The Winning Move In Revolutions, Shannon Zimmerman
Exchange: The Journal of Public Diplomacy
The countries of the Arab Spring have taken differing approaches and have experienced conflicting outcomes. Egyptian and Tunisian protestors utilized public diplomacy as a political weapon while other states failed to realize its potential. In particular, social media were used to communicate with local actors, the military, and the international community, allowing protesters to disseminate their messages of non-violence. As a result, the revolutionary movement was not alienating to the citizenry or to the security forces. This paper will explore the use of public diplomacy by nonviolent protesters to 'win' the security forces and prevent their uprising from descending into …
From Stadiums To Shuttle Diplomacy: Qatar’S Emergence As A Regional Diplomatic Power, Kedar Pavgi, Nakul Kadaba
From Stadiums To Shuttle Diplomacy: Qatar’S Emergence As A Regional Diplomatic Power, Kedar Pavgi, Nakul Kadaba
Exchange: The Journal of Public Diplomacy
During the chaos of the Arab Spring, Western diplomacy was facilitated through the State of Qatar. The small country's rise into the apex of international relations did not occur immediately after the first sparks of the revolution. Rather, Qatar's leadership within the Middle East resulted from years of effort put in by their leaders into devising a foreign policy that emphasized building relationships and cooperation with Western countries and their Arab counterparts. Qatar's leaders specifically focused their efforts on enhancing their reputation within international sporting forums, and the business that resulted from it. Major athletic events like the Asian Games …