Showing posts with label arab. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arab. Show all posts
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Resurgent Arab Islam need not be unsettling
Resurgent Arab Islam need not be unsettling
By Emile Nakhleh and Augustus R. Norton
[Cross-posted with "Informed Comment: Global Affairs" and Boston Globe's "The Angle", where it was first published December 11, 2011]
In the wake of the youth-directed “Arab Spring,” which rocked the Middle East to its core and felled autocratic governments in several countries, Islamic political parties are poised for an historic resurgence across the region — and that is neither surprising nor necessarily alarming.
Popular mass demonstrations, “Days of Rage,” have been the hallmarks of the season that dislodged dictators in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, and exposed the fragility of fierce but unpopular regimes across the Arab world. Youthful demonstrators in quest of dignity, hungry for jobs, and fed up with corruption formed the vanguards.
But because Arab rulers did not allow serious opposition parties, the best organized opposition groups were often Islamist movements. While they did not launch the Arab Spring, they lent resilience and discipline to the demonstrations. These movements are deeply insinuated in the contours of daily life in Arab societies, and now are emerging as early victors in what Arabs are calling al-sahwa (the awakening).
The successes of Islamic parties inspire consternation and alarm in some US policy circles. Daniel Byman of the Brookings Institution worries that these parties will not embrace democracy. Like former Israeli defense minister Moshe Arens, he suggests that the Arab Spring is likely to become a long Arab Winter as Islamic parties gain power and then thwart hopes for substantial reforms and freedom. But these groups are not the extremists that critics fear, and Islamist political parties deserve the opportunity to deliver on the mandate they’ve been granted at the polls.
Popular mass demonstrations, “Days of Rage,” have been the hallmarks of the season that dislodged dictators in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, and exposed the fragility of fierce but unpopular regimes across the Arab world. Youthful demonstrators in quest of dignity, hungry for jobs, and fed up with corruption formed the vanguards.
But because Arab rulers did not allow serious opposition parties, the best organized opposition groups were often Islamist movements. While they did not launch the Arab Spring, they lent resilience and discipline to the demonstrations. These movements are deeply insinuated in the contours of daily life in Arab societies, and now are emerging as early victors in what Arabs are calling al-sahwa (the awakening).
The successes of Islamic parties inspire consternation and alarm in some US policy circles. Daniel Byman of the Brookings Institution worries that these parties will not embrace democracy. Like former Israeli defense minister Moshe Arens, he suggests that the Arab Spring is likely to become a long Arab Winter as Islamic parties gain power and then thwart hopes for substantial reforms and freedom. But these groups are not the extremists that critics fear, and Islamist political parties deserve the opportunity to deliver on the mandate they’ve been granted at the polls.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Current History "Middle East" issue: an excellent collection of articles
December 2011
Letter from Damascus: Will Syria Descend into Civil War?
by Sami Moubayed
“Many in the opposition are now saying the regime is stronger than they had imagined.”
by Sami Moubayed
“Many in the opposition are now saying the regime is stronger than they had imagined.”
The Palestinians’ Receding Dream of Statehood
by Nathan J. Brown
“The drama of international diplomacy has only obscured an ongoing, steady erosion of statehood as a focus of Palestinian aspirations.”
by Nathan J. Brown
“The drama of international diplomacy has only obscured an ongoing, steady erosion of statehood as a focus of Palestinian aspirations.”
Uprisings Jolt the Saudi-Iranian Rivalry
by Frederic Wehrey
“Saudi and Iranian meddling aggravates a divisive, dangerous form of identity politics in fragile, vulnerable states.”
by Frederic Wehrey
“Saudi and Iranian meddling aggravates a divisive, dangerous form of identity politics in fragile, vulnerable states.”
Islamism After the Arab Spring
by Ashraf El Sherif
“It makes no sense today to divide Arab politics into neatly crafted opposites, the ‘Islamist’ versus the ‘civil democratic’ blocs.”
by Ashraf El Sherif
“It makes no sense today to divide Arab politics into neatly crafted opposites, the ‘Islamist’ versus the ‘civil democratic’ blocs.”
The Middle East in Flux
by Michael C. Hudson
“The contagion effect created by the regime changes in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya suggests a significant degree of imagined community among Arabs everywhere.”
by Michael C. Hudson
“The contagion effect created by the regime changes in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya suggests a significant degree of imagined community among Arabs everywhere.”
Perspective: Libya’s Revolution: Do Institutions Matter?
by Michele Dunne
Libyans’ path toward democracy looks rocky, to be sure. But at least they have been spared the cynical, instrumental use of democratic institutions that Egyptians and Tunisians for decades endured.
by Michele Dunne
Libyans’ path toward democracy looks rocky, to be sure. But at least they have been spared the cynical, instrumental use of democratic institutions that Egyptians and Tunisians for decades endured.
Books: The Muslim World’s Counter-Jihad
by William W. Finan Jr.
A new book finds the sources of Arab unrest not only in fury at corrupt regimes and stagnant economies, but also in a popular culture that scorns Islamist extremism.
by William W. Finan Jr.
A new book finds the sources of Arab unrest not only in fury at corrupt regimes and stagnant economies, but also in a popular culture that scorns Islamist extremism.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
North Africa’s Epochal Year of Freedom by ARN and Ashraf el-Sherif
This article runs in the May 2011 "Africa" issue of Current History.
171 sudan on the cusp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard S. Williamson
Southern Sudan is set to become an independent nation in July, but potentially violent disputes
with Khartoum remain.
177 ivory coast: Another Asterisk
for Africa’s Democratization . . . . . . . . . . . . . .William B. Milam and Jennifer G. Jones
The resort to military force to dislodge from the presidential palace the loser in last year’s election
can hardly be deemed a triumph for democracy and the rule of law.
184 Africa’s reluctant Fertility transition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Cincotta
Childbearing has declined dramatically elsewhere in the world, boosting economic and political
development. Why not south of the Sahara? Eighth in a series on demographic dilemmas.
191 education in Africa—the story isn’t over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rebecca Winthrop
A revolution in attitudes has taken hold in the region as parents, advocates, and political elites call
for universal access to schools. Progress in actual learning, however, remains limited.
196 Kabila’s congo: Hardly “Post-conflict” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas Turner
Although Joseph Kabila, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s president, likely will win reelection
this year, violence and insecurity still rule the country.
PERSPECTI VE
201 north Africa’s
epochal year of Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . Augustus Richard Norton and Ashraf el-Sherif
Uprisings in North Africa have electrified the world and inaugurated a new era in the region, but
their outcomes are uncertain. The old order could yet prove resilient.
BookS
204 southern Africa Beyond caricature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .William W. Finan Jr.
A new book traces the political development of South Africa and Zimbabwe through the personal
histories of leaders who started as revolutionaries and became presidents.
THE MoNTH I N REVI EW
206 March 2011
An international chronology of events in March, country by country, day by da
171 sudan on the cusp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard S. Williamson
Southern Sudan is set to become an independent nation in July, but potentially violent disputes
with Khartoum remain.
177 ivory coast: Another Asterisk
for Africa’s Democratization . . . . . . . . . . . . . .William B. Milam and Jennifer G. Jones
The resort to military force to dislodge from the presidential palace the loser in last year’s election
can hardly be deemed a triumph for democracy and the rule of law.
184 Africa’s reluctant Fertility transition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Cincotta
Childbearing has declined dramatically elsewhere in the world, boosting economic and political
development. Why not south of the Sahara? Eighth in a series on demographic dilemmas.
191 education in Africa—the story isn’t over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rebecca Winthrop
A revolution in attitudes has taken hold in the region as parents, advocates, and political elites call
for universal access to schools. Progress in actual learning, however, remains limited.
196 Kabila’s congo: Hardly “Post-conflict” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas Turner
Although Joseph Kabila, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s president, likely will win reelection
this year, violence and insecurity still rule the country.
PERSPECTI VE
201 north Africa’s
epochal year of Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . Augustus Richard Norton and Ashraf el-Sherif
Uprisings in North Africa have electrified the world and inaugurated a new era in the region, but
their outcomes are uncertain. The old order could yet prove resilient.
BookS
204 southern Africa Beyond caricature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .William W. Finan Jr.
A new book traces the political development of South Africa and Zimbabwe through the personal
histories of leaders who started as revolutionaries and became presidents.
THE MoNTH I N REVI EW
206 March 2011
An international chronology of events in March, country by country, day by da
Friday, April 08, 2011
Upheaval in the Maghrib
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.
Friday, April 01, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
119 Arab civil society organizations condemn the suppression of peaceful demonstrations
Also see the March 17, 2011 condemnation of military intervention in Bahrain.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
The Great Upheaval
A longer version of this OPED will be published here in a few days.
"A REVOLUTIONARY spirit has captured the imagination of tens of millions of Arabs, young and old. The appetite for freedom and the commitment to tolerance that dictators claimed as absent from Arab societies turn out not to be missing at all.
"The Arab world is entering a new historical phase, one in which the contours of political power will be reshaped as governments become more accountable and responsive. Never in the modern history of the Middle East have so many millions demanded the dismantling of their autocratic regimes with such unanimity, perseverance, persistence, and peacefulness."
Friday, February 18, 2011
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Noteworthy report from the Arab Reform Initiative
The second annual report of the Arab Reform Initiative has just been released. The first report remains available. The reports include analytical studies, particularly noteworthy for the Maghrib, systematic data, and a ranking of the reform progress of ten Arab states based on 40 evaluative dimensions. The latest report shows some limited progress, with Jordan scoring 620 points on a 1,000 point scale. Jordan is followed by Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Algeria, Kuwait, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, with Saudi Arabia bringing up the end of the column of slowly reforming states. The report emphasizes that the institutional apparatus of democratic reform are often in place, but the will to implement change remains weak.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Powerful essay: Eyeless in Gaza
Roger Cohen: "I have never previously felt so despondent about Israel, so shamed by its actions, so despairing of any peace that might terminate the dominion of the dead in favor of opportunity for the living."
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