Our thematic selections : Arab spring

“Arab Spring” refers to the anti-government protests that sprang up throughout the entire Arab world starting in 2011 and which continue to this day: Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya at the start of the decade; and currently, Sudan, Algeria, Iraq and Lebanon.

With bravura, panache and energy, not to mention humour, this young generation of Arabs has sparked immense hope.

They have faced a backlash from tribal and religious conservatives as well as resistance from regimes that are often relatively undemocratic and repressive. Some of the Arab Spring movements failed, others prevailed, while new ones have arisen.

Admiration, regret, fear, hope: the questions raised by these popular uprisings have been expressed in multiple essays, conferences, films, novels and comic books; we offer a selection of them here, as food for thought.

This selection is just a taste of the AWI's rich heritage.

You can find out more about these subjects by exploring this portal or by visiting the Institute.