Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 1. Introduction, by Marc Lynch 2. Theories of Transition, by Daniel Brumberg Part I: Regional and Cross-National Dimensions 3. Diffusion and Demonstration, by David Patel, Valerie Bunce, and Sharon Wolchik 4. Authoritarian Learning and Counterrevolution, by Steven Heydemann and Reinoud Leenders 5. Media, Old and New, by Marc Lynch 6. Inter-Arab Relations and the Regional System, by Curtis R. Ryan Part II: Key Actors 7. States and Bankers, by Clement M. Henry 8. Arab Militaries, by Robert Springborg 9. Political Geography, by Jillian Schwedler and Ryan King 10. Labor Movements and Organizations, by Vickie Langohr 11. Islamist Movements, by Quinn Mecham 12. Elections, by Ellen Lust Part III: Public Opinion 13. Political System Preferences of Arab Publics, by Mark Tessler and Michael Robbins 14. Political Attitudes of Youth Cohorts, by Michael Hoffmann and Amaney Jamal 15. Constitutional Revolutions and the Public Sphere, by Nathan J. Brown 16. Conclusion, by Marc Lynch List of Contributors Index

Promotional Information

The Arab uprisings of 2011 and 2012 pose stark challenges to the political science of the Middle East, which for decades had focused upon the resilience of entrenched authoritarianism, the relative weakness of civil society, and what seemed to be the largely contained diffusion of new norms and ideas through new information technologies. Compiled by one of the foremost experts on Middle East politics and society, The Arab Uprisings Explained presents a new framework through which scholars and general readers can better grasp the fast-developing events remaking the region, advancing the study of political science in the Middle East while integrating the subject seamlessly into the wider political science literature.

About the Author

Marc Lynch is the director of the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University, directs the Project on Middle East Political Science, and is a contributing editor for the Washington Post's Monkey Cage blog. He is the author of The Arab Uprising: The Unfinished Revolutions of the New Middle East, Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, Al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today, and State Interests and Public Spheres: The International Politics of Jordan's Identity.

Reviews

This important volume addresses core questions about the origins, dynamics, and consequences of the Arab uprisings in a rigorous way that transcends headlines and quick, opinion-based analyses. -- Melani Cammett, author of Globalization and Business Politics in North Africa: A Comparative Perspective An outstanding volume on the Arab uprisings-one of the very best so far. The articles are thematic, covering key factors and actors at play as the uprisings continue to unfold. A well-informed, theoretically grounded collection. -- Shibley Telhami, author of The World Through Arab Eyes: Arab Public Opinion and the Reshaping of the Middle East This extremely useful and timely book directs the reader toward thematic and topical arguments that provide a broader understanding of the Arab uprisings. Expected topics such as diffusion, media, the military, and elections are joined by analyses of less examined themes like labor, political space, and banking systems. The treatments are sophisticated yet accessible. An excellent contribution to the most important questions facing scholars of Middle East politics. -- F. Gregory Gause, III, author of The International Relations of the Persian Gulf This theoretically sound volume is one of the better books about the still unfolding phenomenon of Arab uprisings. Academics, journalists, and policy makers will benefit from the well-informed analyses offered. Library Journal This valuable collection of essays provides a thoughtful treatment of one of the most important turning point in the history of the modern Middle East... an essential book for those who wish to step back and assess what happened to the Middle East. Survival Offering a comparative overview of key structural issues such as the role of the military and the independence of the private sector... [The Arab Uprisings Explained] provides the most useful basis for understanding the differences in post-uprising trajectories and the factors that have limited opportunities for democratic change. -- Jane Kinninmont International Affairs An impressively comprehensive volume that sheds valuable light on this unexpected upsurge of contention and its disappointing outcomes. -- Kurt Weyland Perspectives on Politics