WHAT IS THE ARAB SPRING
• REVOLUTIONARY WAVE (DEMONSTRATIONS,
PROTESTS, RIOTS, CIVIL WARS) IN THE ARAB
WORLD THAT BEGAN IN DEC. 2010.
• SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRIES OF THE
ARAB LEAGUE
• INITIAL WAVE ENDED BY MID-2012
LOCATION OF ARAB SPRING
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TUNISIA
EGYPT
LIBYA
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YEMEN
BAHRAIN
SYRIA
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ALGERIA
IRAQ
JORDAN
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KUWAIT
MOROCCO
ISRAEL
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SUDAN
*MAURITANIA
*OMAN
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*SAUDI ARABIA • *WESTERN
SAHARA
*DJIBOUTI
*PALESTINE
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* COUNTRIES WITH MINOR DISPUTES.
CAUSES OF ARAB SPRING
• DISSATISFACTION WITH THE RULE OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS
• DICTATORSHIP OR ABSOLUTE MONARCHY
• HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
• POLITICAL CORRUPTION
• ECONOMIC DECLINE
• UNEMPLOYMENT
• EXTREME POVERTY
• LARGE PERCENTAGE OF EDUCATED BY
DISSATISFIED YOUTH IN THE POPULATION
TUNISIA
• BEGAN: DEC. 18, 2010
• GOVERNMENT OVERTHROWN ON JAN. 14, 2011
• SITUATION: GOVERNMENT OVERTHROW
• DEATH TOLL: 338
• OUTCOME: GOVERNMENT OVERTHROWN (LEADER ZINE EL ABIDINE BEN ALI FLEES INTO EXILE IN SAUDI
ARABIA)
ALGERIA
• BEGAN: DEC. 29, 2010
• ENDED: JAN. 2012
• SITUATION: MAJOR PROTESTS
• DEATH TOLL: 8
• OUTCOME: LIFTING THE 19-YEAR-OLD STATE OF EMERGENCY
JORDAN
• BEGAN: JAN. 14, 2011
• STATUS: ENDED
• SITUATION: PROTESTS AND GOVERNMENTAL CHANGE
• DEATH TOLL: 3
• OUTCOME: KING ABDULLAH II DISMISSES 2 PRIME MINISTERS, APPOINTS A NEW ONE, OCT. 2012
DISSOLVES PARLIAMENT AND APPOINTS ANOTHER NEW PRIME MINISTER
OMAN
• BEGAN: JAN. 17, 2011
• ENDED: MAY 2011
• SITUATION: PROTESTS AND GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES
• DEATH TOLL: 2-6
• OUTCOME: ECONOMIC CONCESSIONS BY SULTAN, DISMISSAL OF MINISTERS, LAWMAKING POWERS
GIVEN TO ELECTED LEGISLATURE
EGYPT
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BEGAN: JAN. 25, 2011
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ENDED: ?? (FEB. 2011 & JULY 2013) ONGOING VIOLENCE
SITUATION: TWO GOVERNMENTS OVERTHROWN
DEATH TOLL: 4,300+
OUTCOME: IT’S A MESS!
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OVERTHROW OF HOSNI MUBARAK (LATER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR ORDERING THE KILLING OF PROTESTERS)
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ONGOING ISLAMIST UNREST
ISLAMIST-BACKED CONSTITUTION SET UP BY MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD & MOHAMED MORSI
MORSI REMOVED BY MILITARY COUP AFTER MONTHS OF PROTESTS
CRACKDOWN ON MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND OTHER ISLAMISTS (SENIOR ISLAMIST FIGURES HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, COURT BANS
ALL MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ACTIVITIES AND CONFISCATES ASSETS, SENTENCING TO DEATH OF HUNDRED OF MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD
SUPPORTERS
EGYPTIAN ARMED FORCES LAUNCH ANTI-TERROR MILITARY OPERATIONS IN SINAI
YEMEN
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BEGAN: JAN. 27, 2011
ENDED: ?? (FEB. 2012 & JAN. 2015) ONGOING VIOLENCE
SITUATION: TWO GOVERNMENTS OVERTHROWN
DEATH TOLL: 2,000+
OUTCOME:
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OVERTHROW ALI ABDULLAH SALEH (GRANTED IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION)
RESIGNATION OF PRIME MINISTER & RULING PARTY
OCCUPATION OF YEMINI TERRITORY BY AL-QAEDA AND HOUTHI REBELS
PRESIDENTAL ELECTION OF ABD RABBUH MANSUR AL-HADI – OVERTHRWON BY HOUTHI REBELS ON JAN. 22, 2015
DJIBOUTI & SOMALIA
• BEGAN: JAN. 28, 2011
• ENDED: MARCH 2011
• SITUATION: MINOR PROTESTS
• DEATH TOLL: 2 (DJIBOUTI)
SUDAN
• BEGAN: JAN. 30, 2011
• ENDED: NO (ONGOING)
• SITUATION: MAJOR PROTESTS
• DEATH TOLL: 200+
• OUTCOME: PRESIDENT BASHIR ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT SEEK ANOTHER TERM IN 2015, BUT IS CHOSEN
AS RULING PARTY CANDIDATE FOR THE ELECTION.
IRAQ
• BEGAN: DEC. 23, 2012
• ENDED: JAN. 2014
• SITUATION: CIVIL WAR & GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES
• DEATH TOLL: 250+
• OUTCOME: PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT SEEK A 3RD TERM; RESIGNATION OF PROVINCIAL
GOVERNORS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES; WAGE INCREASE FOR SAHWA MILITIA MEMBERS; 3,000
PRISONERS RELEASED; ISIS LAUNCHES OFFENSIVES IN NORTHERN IRAQ; U.S & IRAN ENTER WAR ON THE
SIDE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO DEFEAT ISIS.
BAHRAIN
• BEGAN: FEB. 14, 2011
• ENDED: ONGOING
• SITUATION: SUSTAINED CIVIL DISORDER AND GOVERNMENT CHANGES
• DEATH TOLL: 120
• OUTCOMES: RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS, NEGOTIATIONS WITH SHIA REPRESENTATIVES, HEAD OF
NATIONAL SECURITY REMOVED FROM POST
LIBYA
• BEGAN: FEB. 17, 2011
• ENDED: AUG. 23, 2011
• SITUATION: GOVERNMENT OVERTHROWN
• DEATH TOLL: 25,00-30,000+
• OUTCOME: OVERTHROW OF MUAMMAR GADDAFI (KILLED BY REBEL FORCES); GOVT. DEFEATED BY ARMED
REVOLT W/ UN-MANDATED MILITARY INTERVENTION; ELECTIONS FOR GENERAL NATIONAL CONGRESS;
ELECTORAL DEFEAT, RETURN OF CIVIL STRIFE TO LIBYA; EVACUATIONS OF VARIOUS DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS;
SECOND CIVIL WAR; ISLAMIST ARMED GROUPS TAKE CONTROL OF BENGHAZI & TRIPOLI INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT; FIGHTING CONTINUES WITH ISLAMIST MILITIAS
KUWAIT
• BEGAN: FEB. 19, 2011
• ENDED: DEC. 2012
• SITUATION: PROTESTS & GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES
• DEATH TOLL: 0
• OUTCOME: RESIGNATION OF PRIME MINISTER; DISSOLUTION OF THE PARLIAMENT
MOROCCO
• BEGAN: FEB. 20, 2011
• ENDED: MAR. – APR. 2012
• SITUATION: PROTEST AND GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES
• DEATH TOLL: 6
• OUTCOME: POLITICAL CONCESSIONS BY KING MOHAMMAD VI; REFERENDUM ON CONSTITUTIONAL
REFORMS; RESPECT TO CIVIL RIGHTS AND AN END TO CORRUPTION
MAURITANIA
• BEGAN: FEB. 25, 2011
• ENDED
• SITUATION: MINOR PROTESTS
• DEATH TOLL: 3
LEBANON
• BEGAN: FEB. 27, 2011
• ENDED: DEC. 2011
• SITUATION: PROTESTS AND GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES\
• DEATH TOLL: 0
SAUDI ARABIA
• BEGAN: MAR. 11, 2011
• ENDED
• SITUATION: MINOR PROTESTS
• DEATH TOLL: 24
• OUTCOMES: ECONOMIC CONCESSIONS BY KING ABDULLAH; MALE-ONLY MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS HELD IN
2011; KING ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S APPROVAL TO VOTE AND BY ELECTED AND NOMINATED TO THE SHURA
COUNCIL IN 2015
SYRIA
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BEGAN: MAR. 15, 2011
ENDED: ONGOING
SITUATION: ONGOING CIVIL WAR
DEATH TOLL: 191,000+
OUTCOME:
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RELEASE OF SOME POLITICAL PRISONERS
DISMISSAL OF PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS
RESIGNATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
END OF EMERGENCY LAW
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RESIGNATIONS FROM PARLIAMENT
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FORMATION OF SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL
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LARGE DEFECTIONS FROM ARMY
FORMATION OF FREE SYRIAN ARMY
FREE ARMY TAKES CONTROL OF LARGE SWATHES OF LAND
BATTLES BETWEEN SYRIAN GOVERNMENT’S ARMY & THE FREE
SYRIAN ARMY
SYRIA SUSPENDED FROM THE ARAB LEAGUE
SEVERAL COUNTRIES RECOGNIZE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT IN
EXILE
KURDISH FIGHTERS ENTER THE WAR BY MID-2013
IRANIAN KHUZESTAN
• BEGAN: APR. 15, 2011
• ENDED: APR. 18, 2011
• SITUATION: MAJOR PROTESTS
• DEATH TOLL: 12
ISRAEL
• BEGAN: MAY 15, 2011
• ENDED: JUN. 5, 2011
• SITUATION: MAJOR PROTESTS
• DEATH TOLL: 67
• OUTCOMES: ARAB DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE BORDERS OF ISRAEL
PALESTINE
• BEGAN: SEPT. 4, 2012
• ENDED
• SITUATION: MINOR PROTESTS
• DEATH TOLL: 0
• PRIME MINISTER RESIGNS
ARAB SPRING TOTALS
• DEATH TOLL: 223,335-228,339+ (INTERNATIONAL ESTIMATE, ONGOING, >80% IN SYRIA)
• GOVERNMENTS OVERTHROWN: 6 (EGYPT & YEMEN TWICE)
• MINOR PROTESTS: 5
• MAJOR PROTESTS: 5
• CIVIL DISORDER LEADING TO GOVERNMENTAL CHANGE: 1
• CIVIL WARS: 2
WHAT CAUSED ARAB SPRING TO DIFFUSE?
SOCIAL MEDIA
INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
WHY DID SOCIAL MEDIA WORK?
USES OF SOCIAL MEDIA
• EVADE DETECTION OF PROTEST ACTIVITY.
• SPREAD IDEAS
• RECRUIT NEW MEMBERS
• VIDEO THE PROGRESS OF THE MOVEMENT
• ORGANIZE EVENTS
FACEBOOK
• ALLOWS LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS TO FORM GROUPS AND PLAN PROTEST.
• EVENT PAGES CAN BE CREATED THAT ALLOW INVITED MEMBERS TO SET A LOCATION AND TIME FOR A
PROTEST TO TAKE PLACE.
• VIDEOS CAN BE TAGGED AND SHARED.
TWITTER
• ALLOWS FOR INSTANT UPDATES TO A MASS AUDIENCE.
• ABLE TO WRITE QUICKLY AND CLEARLY FROM 140 CHARACTER LIMIT.
• SMART PHONES ALLOW USERS TO ACCESS TWITTER AT ANY PLACE AND ANY TIME.
YOUTUBE
• ALLOWS USES TO POST EVENTS, INJUSTICES, AND PROTESTS IMMEDIATELY.
• MORE STIMULATING THAN FACEBOOK & TWITTER DUE TO VISUALS.
WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA HAD THE MOST
IMPACT?
TAKE A LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA
•#YEMEN
•#SYRIA
•#ARABSPRING
LASTING IMPACT
• 6 GOVERNMENTAL OVERHAULS
• MANY GOVERNMENT CHANGES
• CONTINUED FIGHTING IN THE ARAB COUNTRIES
• OTHERS USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO THEIR ADVANTAGE (OCCUPY WALL STREET; PROTESTS AGAIN LAW
ENFORCEMENT)