Commentary
- +9
Nathan J. Brown, Alper Coşkun, Amr Hamzawy, …
{
"authors": [
"Frederic Wehrey"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center"
],
"collections": [
"Arab Awakening"
],
"englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "MEP",
"programs": [
"Middle East"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"Middle East",
"North Africa",
"Tunisia",
"Maghreb"
],
"topics": [
"Political Reform"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
Fourth Anniversary of the Influential Tunisian Revolution That Sparked the ‘Arab Spring’
While the tribal, sectarian, and ethnic mosaic of the region is one aspect of why democracy has not taken hold in the Arab world, more important is the lack of experience in governing institutions.
Published on Dec 15, 2014
Source: AirTalk
Speaking to Larry Mantle of AirTalk, Carnegie’s Frederic Wehrey discussed why it has been challenging for democracy to assert itself in the countries of the Arab Spring. Wehrey said while the tribal, sectarian, and ethnic mosaic of the region is one aspect, he believed the lack of experience in governing institutions was more important, arguing that these institutions are incredibly weak and quite young.
“This idea of people taking governance into their own hands is fairly new…there’s very little civil society. There’s no forms of association that cuts across tribal or sectarian lines,” he said. “The peaceful surrender of power is very new and foreign and that creates a real winner-takes-all mentality.”
About the Author
Frederic Wehrey
Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Frederic Wehrey is a senior fellow in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where his research focuses on governance, conflict, and security in Libya, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf.
- Israel’s Election Had No Clear Winner. What Comes Next for the Region?
- Parallel Climate Reckonings: Colonial Water Legacies and Indigenous Adaptation, from Morocco to the American WestArticle
Frederic Wehrey, Charles H. Johnson
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie China
- The Spring and Autumn of Chinese PoliticsCommentary
China’s political future will be shaped between now and next October. As the Communist Party enters its intense “campaign season” to prepare for a major political transition in 2027, reading Beijing's actions and responses may become more difficult as domestic politics weigh on its behavior more than usual.
Damien Ma
- China’s Evolving Economic and Security Role in the Middle EastCommentary
The advantage that China has over other global powers, especially America, is that its foreign policy is closely aligned with those of many of the Middle Eastern countries.
Jin Liangxiang, Maha Yahya, Hesham Alghannam
- China’s Rising Influence in the Middle EastCommentary
Transactional relationships are stable but can be shallow.
- +1
Paul Haenle, Maha Yahya, Benjamin Ho, …
- What the Russian War in Ukraine Means for the Middle EastCommentary
It’s about managing oil prices, bread prices, and strategic partnerships.
- +8
Amr Hamzawy, Karim Sadjadpour, Aaron David Miller, …
- A Message to the Carnegie Endowment CommunityCommentary
The murder of George Floyd has underscored the deep inequities that have long plagued American society. In a note to the Carnegie community, Bill Burns reflects on Carnegie’s commitment to build a more just future here at home and around the world, without which peace will remain beyond our grasp.
William J. Burns
