Tunisian Revolution
All topics-
Elections in Tunisia
Fears of Islamist Threat Unfounded
Tunis-based political analyst Aida Rehouma and Geneva-based foreign relations analyst Rabab Fayed explain why Tunisian elections paint a bright future for the country in spite of criticisms
-
The Islamist Election Victory in Tunisia
Ennahda – Asset or Threat?
Tunisia's Islamist Renaissance Party is now the strongest force in the constituent assembly. Many have been surprised by the fact that no secular party was able to garner nearly as many seats, and "Ennahda's" victory has alarmed those who espouse a liberal Tunisia. An analysis by Sigrid Faath
-
German Book Trade Peace Prize Winner Boualem Sansal
What the Tragedy in Algeria Has Taught Us
If the Arab revolution fails, then the Maghreb, the Sahel Region, and the whole of the Middle East could turn into a new Iraq. It is the task of all of us to help these transformations succeed. By Boualem Sansal
-
Democratisation and Economic Development in Tunisia and Egypt
Looking for a Third Way
The democratic future of Tunisia and Egypt depends on their economic development. Privatisations such as those envisaged by the IMF and the World Bank will be disastrous for the two nations, which should now be looking to find a third way. A commentary by Akram Belkaïd
-
Tunisia's First Free Elections
''Everybody Wants To Do Their Own Thing''
Tunisia was the cradle of the so-called Arab Spring, and it is the first country in the region to be holding free elections. But the road to democracy is not as straight as many Tunisians hoped it would be back in January. Sarah Mersch reports from Tunis
-
Religion in the Arab Spring
The Martyrs of the Revolution
When they attempt to grasp the role of religion in the Arab uprisings, non-Muslim observers often fail because of their tendency to see things in black and white: if religion does not show itself to be a protagonist, then the movement must be secular. In actual fact, the mingling of religious and political motives is much more subtle than that. Charlotte Wiedemann reports
-
The Media in Tunisia after the Revolution
Transparency Is the Order of the Day
Riadh Ferjani says that changes in Tunisia's media landscape look more like a consequence of power balance between the different clans in the current government than a nascent process towards a democratic media system. An interview by Judith Pies
-
Tunisia Begins to Process Recent History
Accusations and Reconciliation
In mid-October, people in Tunisia will vote for a constituent assembly aimed at putting the country on the path to democracy. Meanwhile the process of coming to terms with the 23-year Ben Ali dictatorship has only just got off to a hesitant start. A reportage by Sarah Mersch in Tunis
-
Tunisia's Art Scene after the Overthrow of Ben Ali
Politics as Inspiration
Activism and art go hand in hand nowadays in Tunisia. The young and politicized artistic scene in the Mediterranean country has flourished since the dictator Ben Ali fled Tunisia in January. Sarah Mersch offers an overview from the capital Tunis
-
Tunisian Blogger Lina Ben Mhenni
Voicing Concerns of Women
A professor at the University of Tunis, Lina Ben Mhenni was instrumental in informing people about repression under the Ben Ali regime. In this article she writes about the mood of the protests that would change the face of Tunisia
-
Intercultural Dialogue
Goethe Institute Supports Post-Arab Spring Cultural Work
Artists of all types have played important roles in the uprising that have swept across the Arab World. From its offices in Cairo, Alexandria and Tunis, Germany's Goethe Institute has been close to the action. The institute's President Klaus-Dieter Lehmann tells Aya Bach what the Arab Spring revolutions mean for Germany's foreign cultural policy
-
Education and Democracy in Tunisia
An Ideology-free Sphere in the Shadow of Dictatorship
The curriculum in Tunisian schools and universities was remarkably progressive, even under the dictatorship of Ben Ali, because it wasn't exploited for political purposes. In an interview with Qantara.de, Najib Abdelmoulah explains to what extent the relatively good level of education led to the democratic revolt