Arab Spring
Soundtrack and caricatures for one year of ‘Arab uprising', 'spring', 'revolution'...
'We are free men who have no fear/ We are the secrets which never die. We are free and our words are free. But those words won’t forget those who cemented our tears and betrayed our faiths.’ In 2011 these lyrics, which were written and sung by Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi, became one of the hymns of the revolution which toppled the tyrants of the Maghreb. One year on, these people are effectively free – so why is the battle ongoing? It’s too soon to mark the ‘first anniversary of the Arab spring’ with brooding in-depth analyses of what it has all meant so far, but it’s long enough to be able to ask a few key questions. Who are the ‘moderate’ islamists? Who is this generation which has surfed the democratic wave? Is the revolution a thing of the past? The answers to such questions, as always, depends on different perspectives, be they from a German student in Cairo, an Algerian caricaturist, a Tunisian singer or a Spanish journalist - done the cafebabel way (Image: © Kristof)
- Read the special edition Soundtrack and caricatures for one year of ‘Arab uprising', 'spring', 'revolution'...
- Arab spring in Morocco: royalists recognise indigenous language
- Algerian cartoonist Slim: 'We have to protect human hands, not human rights'
- Studying in Cairo: why young Egyptians vote islamist
- Emel Mathlouthi: Jasmine rebel who sung anthem of Tunisia
- Romance and demons of 'Arab spring' and 'islamist winter'
Activist Ahmed el-Senussi: Libyan prince and human rights hero
Currently a member of Libya's national transitional council, the prince was in solitary confinement during his imprisonment and did not speak to a single person for nine years. We meet in Strasbourg where the former prisoner of conscience was one of five Arabs to win the Sakharov freedom of thought prize for 2011
arab spring, activism, brunch, prison, libya, interview, muammar al-gaddafi
Peace in 2011: 'solutions to conflicts do exist’
From democratic aspirations to the transformation of the media game, Cathy Van Dorslaer, a Belgian psychologist specialising in the prevention of conflicts, explains why she believes 2011 stood under the sign of peace
arab spring, josé luis rodríguez zapatero, democratisation, psychology, techno-media, europe, internet
Hope in 2011: Tahrir and Puerta del Sol utopias
This time it’s for real. Bad luck for Greece. Thomas has made up his mind: he’s leaving tonight. He climbs into the boat – and goodbye. Between Thomas More’s Utopia and Charles Fourier’s concept of the phalanstery, a literary look back at 2011
arab spring, best of cafebabel.com, madrid, jasmine revolution, 'indignant citizens' movement, egypt, egypt
Tunisia’s Arab renaissance comes out of London exile
On 23 September the arab spring achieved its most significant achievement yet. It was a rebirth for the modern Arab world without spilt blood nor fiery rhetoric in the dust and the death; instead it used ink and consensus to rebuild a country. Moderate islamist party ennahda, coming out of exile in the UK, won 41% in the country's first democratic elections on 22 October
arab spring, children, london, religion and democracy, tunis, united kingdom, tunisia
Europe reacts: what Gaddafi’s expiration means
On 20 October the world saw a mediatised repeat of bloody images and videos of Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein on their deathbeds: Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, 69, was killed in his hometown of Sirte. French, US and British forces were part of the Nato airstrikes in the Libyan civil war which began in February 2011. Read presidential and prime ministerial postcards from Poland, Malta, Italy, France and Germany after the news broke
arab spring, business, josé luis rodríguez zapatero, italy, angela merkel, germany, communism
Riots: Britain's boring thugs and Europe's burning thread
Don't synonymise the London rioters with the protesting Greeks or Syrians; it is just plain offensive. Yes, Londoners mobilised for four days, but it can't compare to the months of social, political and economic agitation across Europe and the Arab world
arab spring, italy, youth, economical crisis, greece, london, united kingdom
From Breivik to Khaled Said: a digital revolution
The year 2011 showed us the force of new media in political debates, whether in the European protests, the Arab revolutions or the terrifying attack committed in Norway in July. Political engagement is now affordable for everyone, everywhere. Is this immediacy which now defines political engagement compatible with our democracies?
arab spring, anders behring breivik, civil society, europe, internet, facebook, anders breivik
Revolution rapper Mohamed El Deeb, Tahrir square's figurehead
Some musical genres, like rap and hip hop, developed so as to voice the rage of victims of injustice. Yet how many times has such ‘protest music’ really brought about a new revolution? The Egyptian rapper went out onto the streets to make real the change he evokes in his texts
Ouagadougou correspondent: no Arab spring in Burkina Faso either
Whilst Burkina Faso offered Muammar Gaddafi asylum on 25 August, they recognised the national transitional council in early September. August also saw the jailing of three policemen for their part in the death of student Justin Zongo in custody in February. Yet why did the country's mutinies not lead to the same dramatic changes as we are now seeing in Libya?
arab spring, burkina faso, libya, third world, western africa, politics, revolution
Try finding an Arab revolution in Albania
Late afternoon, outside the headquarters of Tirana’s central electoral commission. A rather burly group of Albanian socialist party militants await the announcement of the results of the local elections of 8 May. A sizeable police cordon ranged in front of them protects the building where, for the umpteenth time, ballot papers are being counted and recounted. Things seem to have reached an impasse
arab spring, youth, economical crisis, tirana, corruption, civil society, albania
'Indignant ones': left-wing populism or politics of the underdog?
An increasingly common view of the 'indignant' protest movement coming out of Spain is: 'and then what?' Philippe Thureau-Dangin, publishing director of the Courrier International newspaper, calls it 'left-wing populism'. Others are perturbed at the idea that the 'European summer' has anything in common with the 'Arab spring'. Four young Europeans give us their views on the 'M-15' (15 May) movement, its aspirations and limitations
arab spring, madrid, facebook, social networks, 'indignant citizens' movement, politics, spain
Pan-European indignant revolution viewed from Brussels
The capital of Europe is moving to the rhythm and vibe of the #spanishrevolution; young students from Spain living in Germany, Portugal and Greece amongst others started organising people’s assemblies not far from their embassies on 15 May, and it's still ongoing. Perspectives
arab spring, democratisation, youth, bruxelles, 'indignant citizens' movement, society
Arab spring 2011 and Europe’s fall of communism in 1989
As the Maghreb goes through its transitions, a look at the lessons learned from central and eastern Europe. Opinion from Daniel Novotny, deputy director of the research centre at the association for international affairs in Prague
arab spring, democratisation, 1989, morocco, conflict, regime, post-soviet states
Go on, say it. It’s the Spanish spring
There’s renewed fighting in Yemen, 1, 000 people have died in Syria and Nato is campaigning against Libya. In a peaceful echo of the Arab people’s battle for democracy, Europe has caught the ‘real democracy’ bug, starting in the streets of Spain on 15 May
arab spring, economical crisis, madrid, 'indignant citizens' movement, politics, spain, elections
'Real democracy NOW!': #spanishrevolution becomes #europeanrevolution
Spain’s so-called 15-M has become 29-M, referring to the dates of the sit-in protests of a Spain in May which saw local elections swinging to the favour of the opposition conservatives. The rage is sweeping Italy, Belgium and France
arab spring, democratisation, youth, brussels, precarity, internet, madrid
Ukraine, Belarus, Egypt...free the online activist in you
Ukraine’s ‘Day of Wrath’ against its president on 14 May has been organised online. Belarus’ internet is the only escape from regime propaganda. The Arab world reported its transitions online. Amidst these examples, Peter Ludlow, cyber rights activist and philosophy professor at Northwestern University in Illinois, emphasies that politics can be influenced in bottom-up solutions. Interview
arab spring, activism, iryna vidanava, kiev, minsk, regime, internet
Seven (wonder) tips to visit post-revolution Egypt
A halt in tourism, which constitutes 11% of the country's GDP and allows over a half of Egypt's employed population to have service sector jobs, badly harmed the quality of life for many ordinary Egyptians. Scared of the turmoil following the 18-day revolution in late January, the usual number of 14 million tourists avoided Egypt for weeks - but that should change
arab spring, money, practical information, tourism, economy, shopping, travel
Post revolution new media: journalists face uncertain future
The recent Arabic revolutions have highlighted significant changes in the way stories are covered, but what are the implications of these changes, where are we heading and should we be scared?
arab spring, barcelona, journalism, jasmine revolution, society, revolution
