Publication

This paper argues that caution is needed in extrapolating the meaning of the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings for other countries in the Middle East. The success or failure of popular uprisings hinges on a complex interplay of decisions, actions, resilience, weakness, mistakes and panic by actors on both sides of the political drama. The paper suggests that things may turn out differently in other countries in the region, and that it not going to be particularly clear why.