Civil Society and Activism in the Middle East

29 September
Nadine Sika | The American University in Cairo
Civil Society and Activism in the Middle East

The presentation examines the impact of repression on civil society activism in the Middle East through the cases of Egypt and Jordan. It is argued that authoritarian regimes’ repressive strategies towards civil society actors vary depending on recent historical experiences with regime breakdown or continuity. Regimes transitioning from one autocratic rule to another after a breakdown often increase repression against all civil society actors to pre-empt large-scale mobilization. Consequently, fear is instilled within civil society, leading actors to either disengage from civic and political activism or turn to alternative forms of participation, such as social entrepreneurship. Conversely, long-standing authoritarian regimes that have not faced breakdown tend to utilize targeted repression and co-optation strategies while tolerating selective civic activism and contentious activities. Civil society actors in these contexts are frequently able to exploit political opportunities to mobilize for demonstrations at specific times and spaces, developing coalition partnerships to push for incremental reforms and change.

Next Talks

26 October
Johan Gøtzsche-Astrup | Aarhus University, Oluf Gøtzsche-Astrup | Aarhus University
Stability and Volatility in Cultural Models of Contention

12 November
Mattias Wahlström | University of Gothenburg
Alternative Futures in a Heating World: Visions and Vision Work of the Swedish Climate Movement

17 December
Kostis Kornetis | The Autonomous University of Madrid
Democratization as Collective Biography: Political Generations and the Long Transition in Southern Europe