Talking to Arab Youth Revolution and Counterrevolution in Egypt and Tunisia

By Nur Laiq

Talking to Arab Youth Revolution and Counterrevolution in Egypt and Tunisia

Nur Laiq About the Author: NUR LAIQ is a senior policy analyst in the Middle East program at the International Peace Institute, where she conceived and designed the Arab Youth Project and co-edited a book on the Middle East peace process negotiations (Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2014). She previously worked with Labour Party members of parliament in London on foreign policy and on the European Commission’s Middle East desk in Brussels. She has also worked with refugees through the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Damascus and New Delhi. Nur has a master’s degree in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from Oxford University. She has studied Arabic and conducted research in Damascus and Amman, and learned Persian in Tehran.

Cover Photo: A graffiti tribute to the women of the Egyptian revolution on a wall in Cairo following the military attack in December 2011. Photo taken by Nur Laiq. Title design by Jill Stoddard.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication represent those of the author and not necessarily those of the International Peace Institute. IPI welcomes consideration of a wide range of perspec - tives in the pursuit of a well-informed debate on critical policies and issues in international affairs.

Suggested Citation: Nur Laiq, “Talking to Arab Youth: Revolution and Counterrevolution in Egypt and Tunisia,” New York: International Peace Institute, October 2013.

ISBN: 0-937722-85-5 ISBN-13: 978-0-937722-85-5

© by International Peace Institute, 2013 www.ipinst.org CONTENTS

Foreword, Youssef Mahmoud ...... v

Acknowledgements ...... vii

Introduction ...... 1

1. Competing Narratives ...... 6

EGYPT TUNISIA

2. Political Participation ...... 37

EGYPT TUNISIA

3. Civic Engagement ...... 54

EGYPT TUNISIA

Conclusion ...... 68

Endnotes ...... 77

v

Foreword Youssef Mahmoud Senior Adviser, International Peace Institute

Youth represent the face of the Arab revolutions. Youth activists formed the vanguard of the movements that led to the overthrow of autocratic rule in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. Since then, the transition processes in these countries have been set on a trajectory that will be long and tumultuous. During the transition period, youth actors have been a wild card. They have used their raw power of mobilization to accelerate the demise of the postrevolutionary elected government in Egypt and are putting pressure on the authorities and on traditional party politics in Tunisia. Their demographic weight and their demonstrated potential as both power brokers and spoilers have grabbed the attention of governments and policymakers. The above notwithstanding, an in-depth understanding of Arab youth’s role during the postauthoritarian transitions has thus far remained elusive. Talking to Arab Youth contributes to addressing this gap. This study provides a detailed and nuanced analysis of youth ideas and actions, the narratives that drive them, their aspirations, and the challenges they face as they navigate the uncharted political and civil society transformations they helped bring about in the Middle East and North Africa. Part of the International Peace Institute’s Arab Youth Project, this book offers stakeholders direct access to youth voices and discourse, explains the political currents sweeping through the Arab world, and provides an indication of the direction in which the transi - tion processes may be heading. The representativeness and legitimacy of both old and newly formed political parties will be seriously questioned if efforts are not made to create safe spaces for youth to fully participate in public policy debates. Marginalized youth will remain a potential risk factor for all governments—whether democratic or authoritarian. This is particu - larly the case if the political and economi