Reflection #1- Hanna

Who knew that Twitter could be used for something more than college freshman complaining about dining hall food?!

The proposition to participate in a blog for class-- a blog that contains real information, as opposed to the typical fluff on most blogs I follow-- has brought about a grand realization. It appears that we can use social media for something of substance. In my research for my country brief on Algeria, I came across blogs like themoornextdoor.wordpress.com and thewasat.wordpress.com. I would highly recommend these blogs to other students whose country is in the North Africa region. From reading these blogs, I gained the audacity to use my twitter for something academic. A novel idea for an 18 year old. First I followed themoornextdoor and then Andrew Lebovich (aka thewasat). I saw they were retweeting various academics and journalists living in Syria and other parts of MENA, and as one may guess- I started following them all on Twitter.

For the first time in my life, I kind of know whats going on in the world and I am constantly updated on what is happening. In a few weeks, I may feel comfortable enough and educated enough to have an opinion! I don't want to come out and make an overly exaggerated statement about how this class is going to light a fire under my butt, but I am definitely getting excited about everything to come.

To bring things back to Twitter-- I reached out to themoornextdoor and asked if he would be up for emailing with a few students on Algeria and a few other countries. He responded with a most definite Yes. Whether he is a reliable academic source or not, I look forward to gaining a better general understanding of how things work in Algeria through Q&A with him.

So get on the Twitter train with me!
I recommend these twitter handles:
@themoornextdoor -themoornextdoor.wordpress.com
@tweetsintheME -thewasat.wordpress.com
@Raniaab -Journalist in Syria
@USEmbAlgiers -US Embassy in Algeria
@AJEnglish -Al Jazeera

Please comment any Twitter handles or Blogs you would recommend for me!

To wrap things up- This is what I have learned:
Email, Tweet, Inbox, do anything you can to get in contact with people.
They are out there and they are willing to answer your questions.

Reflection 1 - Anjali

Two weeks ago, I downloaded the Al Jazeera application on my iPhone with the understanding that Al Jazeera was a great news station. I had listened to it every day in England and felt that I was missing out on something by not listening to it here. It was slightly amusing then, that as soon as I had downloaded the application and flipped to the news section, I saw article upon article detailing protests against US Embassies in North African and Middle Eastern countries.

I feel so lucky to be studying in a school that cares about international relations, a school where all of my classes directly relate to what is going on, real time, in the world. Last weeks discussion in class about different governments in the Middle East and their reactions to the protests really made me think. I found it so interesting that the media can have such a huge effect on the populus of a country. One Middle Eastern broadcaster repeatedly showing the same insulting video had sparked a huge amount of protests. These protests spread from North Africa all the way to the Muslim provinces of Kashmir. It's fascinating that the media has had such a big influence when inciting people to action; I think it is one of the reasons that grass roots civil societies can be so successful.

Today, when I checked Al Jazeera, I saw an article about cartoons published in a French newspaper that portrayed images of the Prophet Muhammad. Our discussion about people who wanted to 'stir the pot' came to mind. This is such a turbulent time for all of the countries in the MENA region, and I'm excited to see how grassroots communities along with the populus are able to shape these countries in the next few months. 

Structured Response #1

            In the reading, “Coercive Institutions and Coercive Leaders,” Bellin argues that it is much more than weak civil society and poverty that prevents the MENA region from participating in democratic reform. Others believe that these problems, as well as geographic and economic reasons stifle the growth of democracy in the MENA region. However, Bellin points out that nations with similar civil society, poverty, geographic issues and economic styles have achieved democracy, while countries in the MENA region have not developed at all in recent years, some sliding even further from democratic principles. 

            Bellin argues that the main reason the MENA region has not developed democratically is “the stalwart will and capacity of the state’s coercive apparatus to suppress any glimmers of democratic initiative that have extinguished the possibility of transition” (Bellin 26). Bellin believes that MENA regimes have both the power and the will to repress any type of democratic transition, which makes it nearly impossible to create change in the region. In response to the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011, Bellin would likely find that the regimes in countries like Egypt and Tunisia were weakened and exposed; the forces of democratic change were able to make headway as a result of regimes have the will, but not the complete power to control their state.

            I find Bellin’s argument to be fairly accurate, though I do believe that some of the points she dismisses are also causes of the MENA regions lack of democratization. Civil society in the MENA region may be developing, but there is no doubt that it is still weak. The atmosphere in the region creates difficultly for individuals to meet, discuss, and learn about politics and possible alternatives to their current regimes. Without the fostering of new ideas and principles, it is nearly impossible for democracy to gain headway. Communication is key for developing democracy in the MENA region. During the Arab Spring of 2011, the world saw the importance of the Internet and social media to create a community of individuals focused on destroying the old regimes that opposed democratic transition. But the MENA region needs more than just Twitter and Facebook to launch themselves into the world of democracy. Organizations like labor unions, business associations, and other NGOs need to develop and strengthen so that they can support a stronger civil society and in turn create a greater hope for democratization.           

Reflection #1

            After the recent events in Libya, it has been extremely rewarding to be in classes such as World Politics and this seminar where students like myself are just as interested and engaged as I am. Being able to discuss stories from across the globe with my classmates is something I did not experience much of in high school, and I am so happy that being at AU has given me the opportunity to have informed and exciting conversations with my peers.

            I thought the conversation we had in class on Thursday was really interesting, especially when the issue of domestic politics and the 2012 presidential campaign was brought into play. I found Governor Romney’s comments on the issue of Libya and the killing of US Ambassador Chris Stevens to be rude and quite frankly absurd. Romney’s insistence on campaigning, even during a state of mourning, was disrespectful and a definite political blunder. It will be interesting to see how his comments will affect the race, especially because November is fast approaching.

            The affect of world events on our domestic politics is vitally important, and it is fascinating that this event, with its many other consequences, may affect the presidential race so drastically. I am excited to stay informed on the issue and see how it plays out.