Means to an End: Arab Spring

• Název v anglickém jazyce: Means to an End: Arab Spring
• Klíčová slova: Arab Spring, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, democratisation, revolution
• Klíčová slova anglicky: Arab Spring, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, democratisation, revolution
• Akademický rok vypsání: 2013/2014
• Typ práce: diplomová práce
• Jazyk práce: angličtina
• Ústav: Katedra politologie (23-KP)
• Vedoucí / školitel: doc. Martin Riegl, Ph.D.
• Řešitel: skrytý - zadáno vedoucím/školitelem
• Datum přihlášení: 06.06.2014
• Datum zadání: 06.06.2014
• Datum a čas obhajoby: 04.02.2016 00:00
• Místo konání obhajoby: IPS FSV UK, U kříže 8/661 158 00 Praha 5 – Jinonice
• Datum odevzdání elektronické podoby: 07.01.2016
• Datum proběhlé obhajoby: 04.02.2016
• Oponenti: Zora Hesová, M.A., Ph.D.

Zásady pro vypracování

Topic Characteristics:

Research Question:
Was the Arab Spring successful in bringing more democratic notions to autocratic states?

I will critically analyze the evolution of the Arab Spring and use comparative politics elements to see how the Arab Spring was effective in the different Arab countries or how it got distorted along the way. We will see the evolution of an idea from inception to its final fruition. Compare and contrast between Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria. I will see to what level was the Arab Spring was able to bring some sort of change towards more democratic ideas or did it have the opposite effect and make it more autocratic. I will also see how individual states’ government reacted to this push from the people of the Arab Spring, how they tried to deal with those notions and their policies towards them. I will see how the democratic Arab Spring visions of better life for the people got twisted and translated into something else, how the life of the people changed and also the perception of the outside worlds towards these changes.
Working hypotheses:

H1: Arab Spring did not bring any democratic notions
H2: There was a degree of foreign influence for the Arab Spring and not only internal factors
H3: Other countries had different outcomes because of the degree of interest in them
H4: There was change towards more democratic notions


Methodology:

I will use Critical Theory approach combined with Comparative Politics approach. In the Critical Theory approach I will use influences from the first and second generation of Frankfurt school as well as some neo-Marxist ideas. On the Comparative Politics side I will draw from the likes of Samuel P. Huntington and Barrington Moore. Both of these approaches will help me analysis each countries, perceptions, ideas, physiology, historical and cultural background as well as political perceptions, and socio-economic strategies. We will see how Fukuyama’s End of History was seen as a ultimate goal by him and by the people of the Arab spring country. At the end of the day, they wanted to achieve the means to an end by fighting for real democracy and achieve the End of History. It is important to see what pushed those people to revolt, what was the political thinking of that time which they were unsatisfied with and how history, culture and time played a factor as well in making this revolution happen.

Seznam odborné literatury

References / Bibliography:

1. Aristotle., and Jowett, B. (1943). Aristotle's Politics. New York: Modern library.
2. Ballantyne, G. (2007). Creativity and critique. Leiden: Brill.
3. Barrow, C. (1993). Critical theories of the state. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press.
4. Eschle, C. and Maiguashca, B. (2005). Critical theories, international relations and 'the anti-globalisation movement'. London: Routledge.
5. Geuss, R. (1981). The idea of a critical theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
6. Goldschmidt, A. (2008). A brief history of Egypt. New York: Facts on File.
7. Hathaway, J. (2003). A tale of two factions. Albany: State University of New York.
8. Huntington, S. (1991). The third wave. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.
9. McGregor, A. (2006). A military history of modern Egypt. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Security International.
10. Montesquieu, C. (1777). The complete works of M. de Montesquieu. Translated from the French. In four volumes. ... London: Printed for T. Evans, in the Strand.
11. Moore, B. (1987). Social origins of dictatorship and democracy. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
12. Wyn Jones, R. (2001). Critical theory and world politics. Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Předběžná náplň práce v anglickém jazyce

Outline:
1. Introduction
1.1. Historical background
1.1.1. Egypt
1.2. Theoretical background
1.2.1. Critical Theory
1.2.2. Comparative Politics
2. Empirical model
2.1. Application of Critical Theory on Egypt
2.2. Change in Internal/Foreign policies after the Arab Spring
2.3. Change in political culture of the people
2.4. Change of perception of different countries towards Middle East
3. Comperative Analysis
4. Conclusion