The Arab Spring Never Died: The 2019 Protests in Iraq and Lebanon

The 2011 Arab Spring protests were a series of mobilizations across seven states in the region that led to the ousting of former President Ben Ali in Tunisia and former President Mubarak in Egypt. While these two states were successful in their protest aims, protestors in other states, such as Syria and Bahrain, faced violent repression by their respective regimes. In 2019, both Iraq and Lebanon experienced waves of protest movements that mirrored those of the Arab Spring in both objectives and mobilization tactics. Dubbed the “Second Arab Spring,” these uprisings indicate the resilience of popular mobilization in the region.

Hunger Strike: The Lingering Effects of the Arab Spring in Bahrain

In 2011, Bahrain witnessed swaths of protesters swarming the streets of the country and demanding social change and reform in the Sunni-led government that had long oppressed Shia Muslims. The government brutally crushed the uprising within weeks, but the desire for more freedom never died in the population. In August 2023, hundreds of inmates in a prison notorious for detaining political prisoners went on a mass hunger strike. After weeks of strike, the government agreed to provide more humane conditions for the prisoners.

Middle EastBy Michael HaleblianFebruary 23, 2024Bahrain, Arab Spring, sectarian conflict, hunger strike

Educational Backsliding in Afghanistan: Repressive Policy for Girl’s Schooling under the Taliban

Middle EastBy Amineh Najam-ud-dinNovember 10, 2022Arab Spring, Taliban, Afghanistan, Women's Rights, Education, Sharia

Progress in Peril: Tunisian Civil Society’s Role in Progressive Politics

Middle EastBy Amineh Najam-ud-dinOctober 5, 2022Tunisia, Democracy, Civil Rights, Arab Spring