Protests and Mass Movements

We seek to understand the short- and long-term developments in protest methods, social movements, civil society, and competing ideas and narratives in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings of 2011-2015 as well as the recent wave of protests from 2019-2020.

Students protesting in Iraq
Ennahda Supporter

Political Parties in the Arab Region

The Protest and Mass Movements Initiative presents a new series of Viewpoints on political parties in the Arab region, which is as MEP fellow Marina Ottaway notes "the forgotten link" in discussions on the 10th anniversary of the Arab Uprisings. This series aims to map out the political parties scene across the Arab region and to highlight how these political parties have evolved, devolved, or folded since the Jasmine revolution in Tunisia set off a wave protests and revolutions often referred to as the "Arab Spring."

Read the Series

Middle East Program

The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program serves as a crucial resource for the policymaking community and beyond, providing analyses and research that helps inform US foreign policymaking, stimulates public debate, and expands knowledge about issues in the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.   Read more

Middle East Program