YOUTH PERCEPTIONS in EGYPT, LIBYA and TUNISIA About the Partners
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THE REVOLUTIONARY PROMISE: YOUTH PERCEPTIONS IN EGYPT, LIBYA AND TUNISIA ABout the partners The British Council creates international opportunities for Established in 2006 at the American University in the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust Cairo, the Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic between them worldwide. We are a Royal Charter charity, Engagement serves as the leading provider of knowledge established as the UK’s international organisation for and resources for strengthening philanthropic and educational opportunities and cultural relations. Our 7,000 civic practices in the Arab region. The Center’s core staff in over 100 countries work with thousands of mission includes developing an interdisciplinary professionals and policy makers and millions of young knowledge base on civic participation, particularly people every year through English, arts, education and the role of youth; disseminating strategic practices society programmes. Through our presence in the Middle and innovation in social giving and civic action; East and North Africa, and despite often challenging and providing capacity development, incubation circumstances, we continue to build relationships and and networking opportunities for higher education opportunities between people of this region and the UK. and philanthropic institutions in the region. For more information, please visit For more information, please visit www.britishcouncil.org www.aucegypt.edu/research/gerhart THE REVOLUTIONARY PROMISE: youth perceptions in Egypt, LIBya anD Tunisia 1 Contents FOREWORD ...........................................................................................4 Libya......................................................................................................... 25 Restructuring: big changes EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................5 and big challenges ahead .............................................................. 25 Egypt ........................................................................................................... 5 The National Integrity and Patriotism Authority ...................26 Libya ............................................................................................................ 6 The Political Isolation Law ...............................................................27 Tunisia ......................................................................................................... 7 The political marginalisation of youth .......................................28 Tunisia ..................................................................................................... 29 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................9 Revolution fatigue ...............................................................................29 Youth and the transition from Limits on political participation ................................................... 30 ‘waithood’ to revolution ...................................................................... 9 Mixed perceptions of change: then and now .........................31 Egypt .........................................................................................................12 The question of legitimacy: Libya ..........................................................................................................12 the political and the sacred ............................................................32 Tunisia .......................................................................................................13 Islamist-secular polarisation ..........................................................32 Informal/non-institutionalised CHAPTER ONE: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION political participation........................................................................ 34 AND OWNING THE MIDAN ......................................................15 A revolution for social justice ....................................................... 34 Egypt ........................................................................................................16 Social justice, not democracy .......................................................16 CHAPTER TWO: THE POLITICS Gatekeepers of the revolution: OF CIVIL SOCIETY .........................................................................37 youth losing ownership ....................................................................17 Egypt ....................................................................................................... 38 Islamist-secular polarisation ..........................................................17 Uncertainty about the Civil Society Law ................................. 38 The persistence of the Ancien Régime .....................................19 A spike in informal activism but a lack of vision ...................39 Between Sharia and Share3 (the street) .................................20 The key role of universities and student unions...................39 Polarised worldviews: between the political and the sacred ............................................................20 Libya..........................................................................................................41 Locking the revolution: Tunisia .....................................................................................................44 many-walled new regime .................................................................21 A civil society open for youth ....................................................... 44 Thwarted political participation equates to violence ............................................................................22 The expansion of civil society post-Ben Ali is a key achievement ...............................................45 841 killed; just two sentenced ......................................................22 Youth-led and youth-targeting The need for organised political participation..................... 23 organisations are expanding ........................................................ 46 2 THE REVOLUTIONARY PROMISE: youth perceptions in Egypt, LIBya anD Tunisia Trade unions are playing a key role ............................................47 Leadership disconnected from The need for synergising efforts youth needs and aspirations .........................................................73 and building sustainability ............................................................. 48 The youth are becoming a cliché ................................................73 Regulatory environment and restrictions .............................. 48 Democracy and change need to start at home ...................................................................................74 CHAPTER THREE: THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA .................................................................................51 CHAPTER FIVE: THE ROLE OF WOMEN ........................77 Egypt ....................................................................................................... 52 Egypt ....................................................................................................... 79 The media perceived as manipulative ......................................52 Libya......................................................................................................... 81 The need for self-regulation, as Limited empowerment for women opposed to censorship, in the media ........................................53 in the political sphere ........................................................................81 The need to shift from clicktivism to activism ...................... 54 Tunisia ..................................................................................................... 83 Libya......................................................................................................... 55 Women’s rights manipulated The media, the revolution for political ends ................................................................................. 83 and its evolution ..................................................................................55 Feminist organisations are The media is viewed as biased perceived negatively ........................................................................ 85 and is distrusted by youth...............................................................56 The role of women leaders in advancing Tunisia ..................................................................................................... 59 the women’s-rights agenda ........................................................... 85 A media revolution in the making ................................................59 The case of the complementary article .................................. 86 The role of social media has shifted: for better or for worse ......................................................................61 CHAPTER SIX: TRUST AND A perceptible freedom in media post-Ben Ali ........................62 SOCIAL COHESION .......................................................................89 Egypt ....................................................................................................... 90 CHAPTER FOUR: A BETRAYED GENERATION ..........65 A decline in trust and social cohesion post-Mubarak .................................................................. 90 Egypt ......................................................................................................