The Arab Spring Uprisings are political protests against the governments of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Morocco, and Jordan. (Manfreda, ) The protests began in Tunisia when a vegetable vendor set himself on fire in protest of the actions of the government. This incident is said to have been the “spark” that fueled the action of the people to overthrow their governments. This region is being watched by every country in the world. The world is watching to see how it will affect
Introduction The globalization of media has broken down the communication barriers between countries and is now more readily available and accessible than ever before. This paper examines how the media plays an active role in influencing our opinion on global politics in regards to the Arab Spring and the new revolution making its way through the Middle East and North Africa. It will also examine the theories of the CNN effect and the Manufacturing consent and how these define the relationship between
The Arab Spring began when a young Tunisian man set himself on fire to protest government corruption and poor economic conditions. This action inspired a wave of protests across Tunisia, which ultimately resulted in the ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power. The success of the political uprising in Tunisia sparked similar unrest throughout much of the Arab World and Middle East, most notably within Libya, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, and Yemen. To date, the leaders of Egypt, Libya, and Yemen
“The main legacy of the Arab Spring is in smashing the myth of Arabs’ political passivity and the perceived invincibility of arrogant ruling elites” (Manfreda). This quote basically summarizes the goal and reason behind the Arab Spring. The general aim of the Spring was targeted toward Arab dictatorships (due to the belief that they held rigged elections), the police force and their brutal ways of handling things, the high unemployment rates and basic corruption within the regions (Manfreda). The
I have read about a handful of admirable men and women in history. Some of these people are Abraham Lincoln, an honest, courageous leader, Miep Gies, a woman full of bravery and compassion, and Todd Beamer, a man who was quickly strategic in saving thousands of lives from one of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Throughout history, many people, whether a common man or a great legend, have shown praiseworthy character. Three other examples are the persistent Martin Luther King Jr., the
The Arab Spring Almost 3 years ago an unemployed, desperate, yet angry man who’s in charge of earning money to his siblings had set himself in flames in front of the Tunisian municipality building. His flaming suicide attempt was the Arab world’s most literal spark. It has not only enraged the Tunisian people, but also Arab countries from east to west which then provoked the Arab spring. This incident has led to a series of protests that started in Tunisia followed by Egypt and unfortunately still
Filiu, 2011). In 2011, a volcano of keyboard-generated revolutions erupted in the Arab world, driven by one secret ingredient: ‘cyber activism’ (Ghrer, 2013). The first setting sailed in Tunisia on the 14th of January 2011, when President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, stepped down after a whirlwind twenty-eight-day series of protests (Filiu, 2011). The next stop was in Egypt on the 25th of January 2011 when President Hosni Mubarak stepped down, following an eighteen-day protest across the entire country
In December of 2010 the people of Tunisia, a country located in northern Africa, revolted against their oppressive ruler, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. What triggered this uprising was an “act of desperation,” the self-immolation of 26 year old Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian merchant (The Star). Bouazizi had been an unlicensed vegetable merchant for seven years before his cart was confiscated by a police officer who then “slapped the scrawny young man, spat in his face, and insulted his dead father,” (Abouzied)
our lives. We reach for it, live for it, and even die for it. Television has illustrated that many countries are striving to procure that freedom. In Tunisia, young people have taken control of a country that has been under the control of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali for the last 20 years. Tunisians could not get jobs without being extorted by local officials. They could not buy a house without bribing an official. Any activity involving government often required money to push the paperwork through. Tunisians
Springs anti-government protests of 2011 that occurred across the Middle East. These protests, both non-violent and turning violent, began in Tunisia in 2010 and were in response to the corrupt and authoritarian leadership of then President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. This time, with the emergence of technology and social media, talks began claiming sentiments towards their failing government, calling for action to be done. In addition to statements online, activists allied together and started protest
Democracy is a form of a regime that is associated with “rule by the people” that implies rights and liberties for citizens, such as civil liberties and political rights to partake in elections. Democratization is the process of a regime becoming more democratic through democratic transition or consolidation. Democratization is a progression that can take several generations (Meisburger 155). A democratic transition is a movement from an authoritarian rule to a democratic one, whereas consolidation
The Formation of Arab Nations Much of the modern political Arab world was born at the end of World War I, as outside powers divided up their shares of territories that were loyal to their regimes. For example, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon came to exist along side the precarious state of Palestine. By World War II, these states had begun to want independence, and the following decades would witness revolution, regime change, violence, and, ultimately, a break from the grips of the Ottoman Empire
self-immolation caused such an uproar that even Tunisia’s dictator, President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, visited him in the hospital. Bouazizi’s mother, Mannoubia, said, “Mohamed did what he did for the sake of his dignity. He lives on, his name lives on. I am proud of what happened in Tunis, I am proud that he is known throughout the Arab World.” (Abouzeid, 2011) Bouazizi’s self-immolation had such a huge impact on Tunisia that Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14. Soon after Bouazizi’s self-immolation