REVIEW Activity
The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs To Know, by James Gelvin
Choose your group (and your topic). (Egypt, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Bahrain)
Create a ONE PAGE visually interesting document in the next 60 minutes.
Consider using a Template or More images to make it Interesting
Include :
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Timeline of Events (at least 10) (could be conditions, sparks, methods… )
Highlight (at least ONE) Turning Point
Include a picture of the deposed (or embattled) leader (and more pictures or clip art if possible)
Be sure to include things that help you to distinguish this uprising from the others.
SAMPLE ONE FROM STUDENTS (below)
Created by Deb Johnston
Lakeside School, Seattle, WA
Deborah.Johnston@lakesideschool.org
TUNISIAN UPRISING
Leader Ben Ali1
The Facts:
● Population of 10.5 million, urbanized
● relatively homogenous culture, 98 percent of population=Sunni Arab
● Geographically divided between wealthy (north and eastern coastline) and
poor (inland)
● History of state-building
● Only 2 presidents: Habib Bourguiba, leader of Tunisian Independence
Movement (1957-1987) Ben Ali (1987-2011)privatization of government
owned assets exacerbates corruption, elites hold the money (Trabelsi
“Marie Antoinette”, “mafia” like business communities, Ben Ali
connections)
● High levels of government/military security (i.e. Ali’s creation of “sovereignty fund” due to lack of trust in
minister of interior and military)
● organized labor central to uprisings
Differences:
A lot wealthier than Egypt, one tenth the population of Egypt,, smaller surface area than Egypt
Similarities:
Labor activism/political activism go hand in hand, self immolations were emulated in Egypt, corruption among
ruling elite, political parties main purpose was to dispense patronage
Timeline:
December 17th, 2010: Bouazizi’s suicide
December 18th, 2010: Crowds began demonstrating outside of municipal building
● Videos from demonstrations posted posted on Youtube and Facebook
January 8th, 2011: Unemployed graduates and students encountered police in Thala
● Five protesters were shot by police
January 11th, 2011: Government snipers shot and killed 21 protesters in Kasserine
January 13th 2011: News of uprising reached Tunis and army was ordered to stand down
January 14th, 2011: Ben Ali flees Tunisia
● Mohamed Ghannouchi takes over
○ Created a national unity government: opposing parties and 6 members from the old party
○ Protesters didn’t feel like the situation was solved (second revolution begins)
January 19th, 2011: Switzerland agrees to freeze any of Ben Ali’s assets.
March 7th, 2011: Secret police dissolved
March 14th, 2011: second revolution ends at the 6 month point of Ben Ali’s flight
October 23rd, 2011: Tunisians vote for the first time! Members appointed to the Constituent Assembly (goal:
rewrite the Tunisian Constitution)
● Formerly banned Islamic party (Ennahda) wins 41% of votes
1
Picture taken from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1348647/Tunisia-opens-investigation-wealth-exleader-Zine-El-Abidine-Ben-Ali.html
Created by Deb Johnston
Lakeside School, Seattle, WA
Deborah.Johnston@lakesideschool.org
Arab Uprisings Response
Due Wednesday, October 10
Please write a 2 page (500- 750 word) response (1 ½ spaced) to the question below. Submit via email
with the word, “Shokran” in the subject line. Be sure to save LASTNAME. Gelvinresponse.
Why and How did change happen in _______________?
1. Choose one of the following countries:
Tunisia
Egypt
Yemen
Libya
Syria
(Feel free to make comparisons to any of the others as well: Morocco, Bahrain, Algeria)
2. Agree or disagree with one of the following statements and include this tailored more
specifically for your country (or something like this) as your thesis.
“The spontaneity, leaderlessness, diversity and loose organization that have marked the uprisings have
been both their greatest strength and their greatest liability.”
“The internal strength or weakness of a state and the relative independence of state institutions play a
critical role in determining the course an uprising will take.”
3. As you respond to the questions be sure to include in your essay, the following information
 What conditions existed on the eve of the uprisings in this country?
 What four factors did (or did not) make this country vulnerable?
 What were the methods used (by both the government and the protestors)? Think
about force, social media, policies, reforms…
 What made this country unique in the way that they responded to the protests?
 Within your response above, be sure to compare (similarities and differences) to at least
one other place).
 What is your prognosis for what happens there in the next 10 years (short and long
term)?
 [Challenge: Critique Gelvin’s interpretation of what has happened. How would you
interpret things differently? ]
Created by Deb Johnston
Lakeside School, Seattle, WA
Deborah.Johnston@lakesideschool.org