SJS3 - Storms of the Arab Spring

SJS3 - Storms of the Arab Spring

Source: Dunne, Michele. “Storms of the Arab Spring.” Current History, vol. 112, no. 758, Dec. 2013, pp. 364-65.

Author Credentials: Michele Dunne is a contributing editor to the Current History magazine, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and she was the founding director of the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East from 2011 to 2013. Dunne has been to the Middle East multiple times, and she had friends from Palestine to help explain occurrences to her. Clearly, Dunne has much experience with the Middle East, since she has been there many times, and has many accomplishments.

Summary: In the Middle East, much violence and political/social polarization has occurred recently in Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Syria, and Egypt causing the Arab Spring. Egypt elected its first president freely, and the president put the country in a coup and violence. Libya was in a situation of chaotic security. Yemenis negotiated a transition and were wondering whether it would lead to real reform or just perpetuate mechanisms of state capture. Tunisia is carefully trying to build a democratic order, but Salafist groups are assassinating and causing violence.Syria is focused on a regime determined to fight change and go with their interests. These issues came up around 2011, and there has been little progress in the demands, all outside countries trying to help have barely done anything. Some progress has been made in freedom; elections have become free and fair, and there are many gains in free media and civil society. The fewest gains have occurred in social justice and economic inequality. Going back to the peace before the Arab Spring is basically impossible for the countries involved. The Middle East is in a state of turmoil due to violence and recent changes, putting certain countries into the Arab Spring.

Analysis: The author, Michele Dunne, provides a very thorough argument with many specific details to each individual country. Dunne breaks down every country involved in the Arab Spring, and provides details on the problems in each. The author provides his thoughts, and clearly demonstrates opinions and facts, making sure to set them apart. At the end of the journal, Dunne states her opinion on the outcome of the Arab Spring, while the rest of the article contains facts about the Arab Spring. The author is a very reliable source, since she has been to the Middle East multiple times, and she has many qualifications and lofty achievements.