Is it an arab spring or business as usual? Recent changes in the arab world in historical context

Michael B. Bishku

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The article examines the changes in the Arab world in the historical context. Tunisia seems to be emulating Turkey as a historically secular country with mildly Islamist politicians exercising the greatest amount of influence in their country's respective foreign and domestic affairs, Egypt, the birthplace of the Muslim Brotherhood, appears to be at the center of a struggle between the Islamists and the military, which has dominated politics in that country since the early 1950s, while secularists and the minority Copts feel as if they have been sidelined. Majority Shi'a in Bahrain were quashed in their attempt to have a minority Sunni government recognize their rights, while Yemen's longtime leader was replaced by that country's vice president. e-party state. The National Assembly, a very weak legislature, recognized Bourguiba's position for life in 1974. Domestically, Bourguiba immediately abolished the Islamic Shari'a courts and introduced Western criminal, civil and commercial codes of law; the former in 1968 and the latter two in 1959.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)55-77
Number of pages23
JournalJournal of Third World Studies
Volume30
Issue number1
StatePublished - Mar 1 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Development
  • Political Science and International Relations

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