Upheaval in the Maghrib

The lead article in the forthcoming May 2011 issue of Current History is:

North Africa’s Epochal Year of Freedom by Augustus Richard Norton and Ashraf el-Sherif

From the conclusion:

"This is an astounding year in North Africa, as well as in the wider Arab world. Indeed, whether one reckons by the Western or the Islamic calendar (the year 1432 began on December 7), the current year defines a new epoch in the region. The impact is likely to be every bit as unsettling toWestern powers as it has already been to dictators.   

"The pace of the upheaval, the ideals of the participants,and the breadth of mobilization have been breathtaking and inspiring, but the prospects for change vary significantly from one country to another. Wise, prudent leaders may emerge at year’s end with enhanced popularity, while those who seek to frustrate and stifle change are likely to find that the year never ends."

A link to the complete article will be posted here shortly.

Ashraf el-Sherif is an instructor in Political Science at the American University in Cairo. He earned his Ph.D. in political science at Boston University in 2010.  He is done impressive work on Islamist thought and politics in Morocco and Egypt.