After the uprising
The uprising in Tunisia has drawn the world’s attention, including words of support from President Obama in his State of the Union address. However, two Harvard experts on the region say it is still unclear whether the protests will lead to a truly democratic government or if another strongman will emerge to replace ousted president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. Yet for the first time, there is debate on Tunisian TV, the Internet is uncensored, and “you can criticize the interim government openly on the streets,” said Malika Zeghal, the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Professor in Contemporary Islamic Thought and Life, during a panel talk, “Assessing Tunisia,” Jan. 26 at the Harvard Kennedy School. Still, “It’s a little early to see if there will be a real regime change in the near future.” Zeghal does not see a rise in radical Islam that would change Tunisia’s largely secular stance in politics and social structure....