This year’s uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa came out of the blue. Beginning with the ‘Jasmine revolution’ in Tunisia, and spreading to Egypt and Yemen, popular protests called for freedom and democracy, with further political drama following in Syria and Libya. While the success of the uprisings has been varied, the toppling of apparently stable regimes challenged many assumptions. So is this truly a new revolutionary moment and will the overthrow of authoritarian governments lead to democratic alternatives? Filmed at the Battle of Ideas, speakers include Dr Maha Azzam, associate fellow, Middle East and North Africa programme, Chatham House; Ghazi Gheblawi, author; blogger, Imitdad; former cultural editor, Libya Today, Dr George Lawson, lecturer in international relations, LSE; author, Negotiated Revolutions: the Czech Republic, South Africa and Chile, and Karl Sharro, architect; writer; Middle East commentator.
Recommended link:
- Karl Sharro’s blog: Karl ReMarks
