America and the Arab Spring

In December 2010, a Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire in front of a government building, triggering popular protests and revolution across much of the Arab world. By the summer of 2011, the “Arab Spring” had brought down dictatorships in Tunisia and Egypt, and threatened the survival of other authoritarian regimes, from North Africa’s Mediterranean coast to the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

During the summer of 2011, CSPC interviewed sixteen leading scholars and specialists to explore the Arab Spring and its impact. Conducted by visiting scholar Graham West, these interviews are available below. Also, see Graham’s synopsis and analysis in Tectonic Shifts: Lessons for Policy Makers from the Arab Spring Interview Series (PDF).

Graham graduated from Rice University in the spring of 2012.  He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or www.linkedin.com/in/grahamfwest.