Institutskolloquium: Arab Youth: From Engagement to Inclusion

The protests and uprisings of the ‘Arab Spring’ represented a shift in the state-society relations in the Arab world. Especially youth groups have been able to overcome formerly existing boundaries and continue to systematically cross the red lines dictated by their respective regimes, regularly leading to protest and civil unrest. The research project <link internal-link internen link im aktuellen>“Arab Youth: From Engagement to Inclusion?” examines political mobilization and participation of young people during and after the ‘Arab Spring’, their relation to the state, and the role taken by external actors in the reshaping of this relationship.

The presentation will give an overview of the project design and methodology, exploring possibilities and challenges in the study of current developments across the Arab world. It will then present selected results from a quantitative survey conducted among Egyptian youth, focusing on protest behavior before and after the 2011 uprisings. Particular interest will be given to profiles, motives and demands of the young protesters, as well as their perception of the state and international actors.

The project is funded by Volkswagen Foundation and conducted in partnership with researchers from the University Mohammed V – Souissi and the American University in Cairo.