From Squares To Chairs? The Impact Of COVID-19: On Social Mobilization In The MENA Region | ISPI
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  • RESEARCH
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  • 09 Jul
International Conferences

From Squares to Chairs? The Impact of COVID-19: On Social Mobilization in the MENA Region

 

Since March 2019, a new phase of protests has progressively hit several countries across the MENA region, from Algeria to Sudan, from Lebanon to Iraq, leading some observers to envisage the second wave of the “Arab Springs”. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets, challenging security forces and blaming the ruling élite for corruption, poor governance, and social injustice. One year later, several governments found themselves in an increasingly precarious condition but the sudden spread of the COVID-19 pandemic forced protesters to stop, overshadowing the very reasons behind the popular demonstrations and offering exposed state authorities an unhoped opportunity to impose harsh social control measures and buy time. However, as soon as regional states began to ease lock-down regulations protests restarted, indicating that the very grievances that prompted social unrest in the first place have plainly re-emerged and are further compounded by the pandemic’s massive economic impact. As the social pact underpinning most of the region’s societies seems more untenable than ever, governments have now to choose between a serious commitment to socio-economic reforms or a new, and likely more violent, season of social unrest.

 

Panel Discussion

 

Chair

Matteo Colombo, Associate Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Program, ISPI

 

Lina Khatib, Director, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House

Ranj Alaaldin, Visiting Fellow, Brookings Doha Center

 

The video of this MED Virtual Panel is available at this link.

 

Follow us on Twitter @ispionline #Med2020

Thursday, 9 July, 2020 - 15:00
Virtual Panel

SPEAKERS

Matteo Colombo
Associate Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Program, ISPI
Ranj Alaaldin
Visiting Fellow, Brookings Doha Center
Lina Khatib
Director, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House

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