ARB 330 - The Arab Spring: Portraits of the Popular Uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East (In Translation)

The Arab uprisings that began in late 2010 captured global attention for their unexpected timing, intensity, and creative forms of protest. Yet the years that followed were marked by profound upheaval-violence, displacement, authoritarian resurgence, and the rise of extremist movements (like Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, ISIS). Were these outcomes the failure of the Arab revolutions, or part of a longer and more complex historical process? This course explores the Arab revolutions that began in Tunisia in December 2010 and examines their political, social, and cultural consequences across the region. Rather than offering a single narrative, the course engages competing interpretations of revolution: from views that emphasize counterrevolution and civil war (as in Egypt and Yemen) to perspectives that understand revolution as an ongoing process, with Syria serving as a central and contested case. Some see Syria as the first revolution to succeed after fourteen years of struggle; others interpret recent developments as the opening of a new phase of conflict. What does a REVOLUTION mean? Who decides it is a revolution? The course invites students to critically assess these debates. Through a rich mix of weekly readings, subtitled films, television series, and live online conversations with activists, politicians, and scholars, students will gain a multidimensional understanding of the Arab uprisings. Special attention is given to understudied cases often overlooked by mainstream media, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. No prior knowledge of the region is required. The course emphasizes active student engagement and includes mostly one weekly reading and a final research paper.

Satisfies the Cultural Diversity requirement