DAFF 25A39 - The Arab Spring & Beyond: Uprisings and Counter-Revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa

DAFF 25A39 · Spring semester 2025-2026

Language of tuition
English
Course type
Cours séminaire
Number of hours
24
Credits
5

Information

Description

In December 2010, the self-immolation of a Tunisian fruit vendor sparked the “Arab Spring,” a mighty wave of protests that toppled dictators across the Middle East and North Africa. Spearheaded by young, tech-savvy activists demanding "Bread, freedom, and social justice," the uprisings sought economic opportunity, human rights and democratic reform. Fourteen years later, little is left of that hopeful agenda. New, even more ruthless leaders have emerged while autocrats cling to power, crushing dissent and erasing the memory of those revolutionary days. This course examines the counter-revolutionary trajectories that followed the Arab Spring. Through in-depth case studies of human rights violations, it explores how power was reshaped and hopes for freedom buried in MENA. Practical sessions will provide students with hands-on experience in researching and crafting human rights reports, while developing their editorial writing skills to present persuasive arguments and advocate for change.

Prerequisites

Aucun

Assessment

Oral: 1 presentation of an assigned reading30%
Written: 1 human rights press release30%
Written: 1 editorial30%
Student engagement during the semester (participation, debate…)10%

Readings

Main readings 2

  1. 1. Marks, Stephen P. Human Rights: A Brief Introduction. Working Paper, Harvard School of Public Health, 2014. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:23586712

  2. 2. Khatib, Lina, and Ellen Lust, eds. "Reconsidering Activism in the Arab World: Arab Uprisings and Beyond." In Taking to the Streets: The Transformation of Arab Activism, 1-21. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014.

Further readings 2

  1. (Documentary film) Fogel, Bryan, dir. The Dissident. Produced by Orwell Productions and the Human Rights Foundation, 2020.

    Read online

  2. (Documentary film) Noujaim, Jehane, dir. The Square. Produced by Noujaim Films and Worldview Entertainment, 2013.

    Read online

Teaching units

Unit no.Unit type Teaching unitsTeachers Number of hoursCredits
58080Cours séminaire The Arab Spring & Beyond: Uprisings and Counter-Revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa Ahmed BENCHEMSI245

Teachers

  • Ahmed BENCHEMSI

In the curricula

Contacts and resources

Contact
NICOULEAU Svetlana