In The News

Revolution U

Tina Rosenberg February 24, 2011
Following Egypt’s uprising, attention focused on links between protest organizers in Cairo and the Center for Applied NonViolent Action and Strategies, or CANVAS, in Serbia. The group was formed by leaders of the movement that overthrew Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. Online exchange of information and strategy from Serbia helped the Egyptian movement. Yet CANVAS has worked in more than 50 countries...

Revolutionary Tide Sees New Friends for China

Mei Xinyu February 22, 2011
As Middle East nations are shaken by uprisings, the governments – both those that survive and the emerging powers – will confront a set of new foreign-policy choices. The West’s decades-old alliances with dictators while cheering on democratic movements could make it an unreliable partner for either traditional Arab regimes or newcomers. Many Arab nations will diversify relationships, relying...

Power of New Nationalism

Nayan Chanda February 21, 2011
Emphasizing invented enemies, tyrannical leaders argue that only they can protect their nation, sometimes with brutal methods. Yet such tactics weaken the sense of nationhood when citizens have to cower in fear, doubting their own worth. Informed by satellite television or social media sites and emboldened by new perspectives and exchanges, youths in growing numbers challenge the entrenched...

Revolution 2.0: Democracy Promotion in the Age of Social Media

Mark Sedra February 18, 2011
New communication technologies from the printing press to Facebook and Twitter don’t cause revolutions alone, argues Mark Sedra in an essay for the Globe and Mail. But fast means for distributing criticism and making plans can spur activism, particularly in promoting democracy. Social networking has emerged as the Web communication “medium of choice in the developing world, with those who are...

Eighteen Days That Shook the Middle East – Part II

Rami G. Khouri February 16, 2011
Governments that avoid rigid ideological rules for their citizens and allow new ideas to flourish can wield great influence. This two-part YaleGlobal series suggests that Egypt, the largest of Arab nations, transformed by the uprising, will in turn transform governments and politics throughout the Middle East. By embarking on a wave of democratization, Egypt could reclaim its historic role as the...

Eighteen Days That Shook the Middle East – Part I

Dilip Hiro February 14, 2011
Protesters in Tunisia and Egypt accomplished much – shaking off fears of security forces, speaking out against corrupt systems and toppling authoritarian leaders. But revolution is far from complete, reminds author Dilip Hiro. By definition, representative government for Egypt requires inclusion of the Muslim Brotherhood. That group – started in 1928 by a teacher and a few workers in British...

Can the Internet Tame Governments? – Part II

Borje Ljunggren February 11, 2011
The internet, so essential for the modern economy, is a bane for autocratic governments thin-skinned about criticism, whose minions strive to eliminate any dissident thoughts or deeds. Internet and cell phones were less widely available in 1989, and global observers can’t help but wonder if such communications might have thwarted China’s violent crackdown on student protests at Tiananmen Square....