Description:
As Egypt retreats from its newly elected government and Syria moves from one crisis to another, this book's reflection on the Arab Spring could not be more timely. Monshipouri's account of the role of emotion, solidarity, and online activism is informed by several trips to the region that continue to this day. Modern technologies and social media, organization on the ground, and challenges to shaping a country's political future after conflict are all essential subjects discussed in this important book, told in an engaging and accessible narrative.
Review Quotes:
Monshipouri offers a strong analysis of protest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), explaining how and why protests emerged and post-protest challenges... Moreover, the author incorporates a discussion of Iran's Green Movements, linking it to the Arab Spring and making the book unique among others that have attempted to explain these widespread movements. Summing Up: Highly recommended.
CHOICE
ACUNS Review Monshipouri focuses on the effects of new-media technologies, demographic trends (especially the growth of a young populace and their current situation regarding educational and economic opportunities), and the hunger for human rights and democracy among the youth... He provides some very important charts regarding demographic trends, unemployment rates, literacy and educational achievement and expenditure, and access to information and communication technology that highlight how political, social, and economic problems and grievances combined with "global interconnectedness" has extended the scope of emotional identification at the level of humanity and increased the sense of moral responsibility for people at risk... Monshipouri contends that the only sensible course is diplomacy as there are a number of regional issues over which the US and Iran can cooperate -- perhaps together with Turkey and Qatar -- and that any military attack will "inflame Iranians' nationalistic sentiment," even among those opposed to the internal political restrictions imposed by Iran's government.
The Review of Politics Democratic Uprisings in the New Middle East perfectly captures the complexity of the dynamics that set into motion the historic Arab revolutions of 2011. The book brings together the intersection of new media technologies, youth bulges, identity politics, and US-Iranian relations. . . . [A]n excellent, carefully crafted book.
Mehran Kamrava, author of The Modern Middle East: A Political History since the First World War By placing Iran's Green Movement and the Arab world's 2011 uprisings side by side, Mahmood Monshipouri provides an insightful, balanced, and accessible contribution to the study of the Middle East's stunning wave of popular protests and change.
Shadi Mokhtari, American University The most dramatic change in contemporary MENA has been orchestrated not by the traditional revolutionaries, radical fundamentalists, or the military, but by the young people of that region demanding freedom and dignity. In this lucidly written book, Mahmood Monshipouri explains how and why this transformation has taken place, and what challenges and opportunities it faces.
Cyrus Masroori, California State University-San Marcos