Structural Response for Question on 10-9-12

The types of states in the MENA region vary from the relatively free Lebanon to the completely locked down situation in Bahrain. For example, protests are nominally legal in, say, Jordan, but are not in Saudi Arabia. Social movements generally require a few basic freedoms to be successful, such as the right to assemble, the right to free speech, the right to criticize the government, among others. Since many of the MENA countries do not have these essential freedoms, social movements have that much harder of a time forming, operating, and succeeding. However, if a social movement in a MENA country begins to take hold, I feel as though it can be one of the few avenues people in the MENA region have for democratic participation.

Final Reflection

Looking back on the whole semester, I can say I've learned at lot more than I think I did.  For the majority of this class, I found the readings to be repetitive and because of this, not particularly helpful.  But the movies we watched in class, combined with our discussions, structured responses, and weekly reflections have really had a significant impact on me.  I've taken what I've learned about social movements into conversations in my World Politics class.  My knowledge on orientalism made me a into a strict critic while judging a college debate tournament.  I find myself not watching/listening/reading American news sources, but BBC or al Jazeera to avoid orientalist undertones. But most importantly, I have a new outlook on the MENA region.  No longer are MENA citizens the "others" as American media often perceives them to be, but normal people.   They may have different values hard for Americans to wrap their heads around, but it's human nature for humans to have different values.  Social movements in the region don't need to "save" the populace from the "backwards" ideologies present in their societies.  Instead, mobilization should work to establish democracies suited to the specific needs of any of the country's citizens.  Overall, this class has changed the way I think, and has established a foundation on which I can continue to learn about peace, conflict, culture, and social movements.

Structural Response for Question on 10-23-12

Though the First Intifada did not lead to a resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, it did achieve several important things. Before the Intifada, many around the world viewed the conflict as one-sided, as just a problem for Israel. However, the Intifada showed the world that the Palestinians were also being hurt by the conflict. For the first time, the international community was made aware of the Palestinian cause. As for the Israelis, the world was looking at them as the oppressors, not the victims. Therefore, the Intifada did have an impact on both societies. The Palestinians began to become more moderate in their goals, later leading to the Oslo Accords and  acceptance of a two-state solution. In Israel, Israelis realized that they cannot disregard the Palestinians anymore, and must work towards a peaceful solution that may not be entirely in Israel's favor.

Response

With the recent incidents in Egypt, the only things that come to mind are the various discussions, readings, and documentaries we watched throughout the semester. As President Mursi becomes increasingly more dominating, citizens grow more and more dissatisfied. Looking back at the Arab Spring, such action has always taken place after the long build up of anger and dissatisfaction of the opposing group. However, we cannot say that this opposition is successful without looking at the various elements involved.

In a video posted on Al Jazeera, several leaders of the opposition are gathered at a press conference. Obviously, the opposition has structure and powerful voices behind it. The protests on the street also illustrate such unity--but we do not know if this will last. The passion is certainly there, as is the frustration and the drive among citizens. I think that in order for the opposition to be successful, social media must play an important role. 

We have recently discussed the importance of social media in class. I believe that having another vehicle to spread the opposition, besides word of mouth, etc., will make a huge difference. The youth are extremely important in this revolt, as they have been in the past, and pushing social media will give them another outlet to spread their beliefs and call for change. This will also allow Egyptians to reach out beyond the country borders and inform others of their fight.

Final Reflection

I'll break from the norm and avoid going off on any MENA related topic like other final reflections have. While I have learned a lot of quantitative information this semester, the greatest skill that I learned in this course is a qualitative skill, team work. Never before this semester have I had to work so intensively within a small group for such an extended period of time as I have worked in this country group. Magda, Annalise, and Haley have been amazing to work with and it certainly taught me the value of communication and organisation. The most useful skills learned in college are learned outside of the classroom, and certainly I think the most applicable skill that I learned in this great seminar for other courses has been how to work effectively in a small group setting with others. This reflection is not meant to discount the vast amount of quantitative knowledge on the region and specifically Bahrain I have gleaned from this course.

Structured Response for Q posted 10/9

               When the Western media reports on the Middle East and North Africa region, they often combine the separate nations into one large, homogenous area that shares the same values, ideologies, and political structures.  Our news sources talk of the Middle East or the Arab World as a land without democracy and freedoms.  While many of the governments of the Middle East do infringe on the rights of minorities, women, or other social groups within their borders, how they respond to the voices of these people differs greatly across the state lines.

                The repressed groups in the Middle East, women, ethnic minorities, and religious minorities being just a few examples, seek out representation and change in their government through social movements.  The members of these groups organize and work towards bettering conditions for themselves in their home countries.  Through voter registration, boycotts, and public displays of civil disobedience and awareness, these social movements are able to gain support for their cause, and become larger causes for concern to their governments.  These movements work within the civil society to change the political system and gain better representation.  Weldon explains civil society as the “arena in which it may be possible to use argument, persuasion, and shame to counter raw coercive power.”  The different political structures of the nations in the MENA region affect how successful the social movements in civil society will be.

                In Lisa Anderson’s writing on comparative politics in the Middle East and North Africa, she explains how the relationships between the people, the ruling body, and the military are what factor into the strength and security of the regime.  She explains that countries such as Turkey, Tunisia, and Egypt are strong because they have a solid bureaucracy and a military that isn’t too involved in it.  It is this factor that allowed for the Arab Spring revolts in the last few years, a perfect example of social movements at work, to become successful.  The military was able to recognize the power of the people and the changes they wanted to make without the lens of the regime, and decided to support them instead of President Mubarak or Ben Ali.  The governments of pre-2003 Iraq, Libya, and Syria, have successfully squandered social movements in their nations.  This is why it required military force to rid Iraq of Hussein and Libya of Qaddafi, and why Syria still experiences internal warfare.  This difference poses the key challenge to social movements in such countries.

Relfection

   My reflection this week has to do with our structured responses on the influence of social media/networking today.

   The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday that the government would be enforcing strict media control on what citizens can and cannot post online. According to Aljazeera, "any posts 'to deride or to damage the reputation or the stature of the state or any of its institutions,' are punishable by a prison sentence." The government will not tolerate any internet materials--posts, photos, videos--that may threaten "public order" and that go against UAE law. Furthermore, "anyone that  'creating or running websites that deride or damage the reputation or stature of the rulers will face a minimum jail sentence of three years,' The National, an English-Language daily, said." These rules include the president, the vice president, the rulers, princes, etc. 
   How ironic it is that the UAE is now working to suppress social media and freedom of speech after we have been discussing the role it plays in social movements and revolution! It is hard to image a world in which we are denied our freedom of speech, especially in a day and age in which we are so vocal through the many different media outlets.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/11/2012111317358997704.html