Arab Awakening

Level: Undergraduate

Division: The New School for Public Engagement

School: School of Undergraduate Studies

Department: Social Sciences

Course Number: NPOL 3167

Course Format: Lecture

Location: NYC campus

Permission Required: No

Topics:

• Global Studies
• Politics
• Ethnic Studies

Description:
The revolutionary wave that has swept over the Arab world is a sign of fundamental change and the start of an exciting era in the history of the region. These unexpected and unprecedented uprisings, demonstrations, and protests create a new page in world history, the full impact of which is still to come. Since late 2010, there have been revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt; armed uprisings in Libya and Syria; major protests and civil disobedience in Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, and Oman; and minor protests in Kuwait, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. The Arab awakening is marked by criticism of undemocratic regimes and demands for political and economic accountability. It is also characterized by the use of civil resistance methods in organizing demonstrations, rallies, and strikes, as well as the use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. In this course, we discuss the roots of this new wave, analyzing the situation in each country and examining its impact on the non- Arabic-speaking countries of the region: Israel, Iran, and Turkey. We also discuss possible outcomes of these movements, the future of the Arab countries and the region as a whole, and the role the United States can play in this turning point in the region.