Discussion Forum Review: Middle East: Spring or Fall

Dr Amin Saikal pointed out that this is only the third uprising of the Arab world in 14 centuries. And this one is significantly indicative of our generation given the impact of social media outlets in the early days of revolt. Whilst Eltahawy was quick to say that social media was an important factor in allowing those previously forgotten in the discussion a means of being heard, she stressed that this is not a so called ‘social media revolution’, and branding it as such robs the people at the origin of these uprisings of the acknowledgement of their courage and determination in trying to secure their freedom.

Her overarching sentiment was that we in Western countries should now be able to see that there is an alternative to the dichotomy between the dictator and the “angry bearded Muslim men” as we have often perceived it.

And more importantly, as Dr Saikal said, just as the uprisings “diminish Israel’s claim of higher moral ground” as the only ‘democracy’ in the region, they debunk the myth that a functional democracy can be imposed from the outside. In this sense the session was as invaluable in encouraging a heightened understanding of our own behaviour in the West, as it was in explaining the momentous events of the Arab uprising.

BY KIM HAWORTH