Alexander P. Martin - Tunisian Civil Society: Political Culture and Democratic Function Since 2011

Investigating the political transition after the 2011 Tunisian revolution, this book explores whether civil society is fulfilling its democratic functions. Examining the existence of a civil political culture, that is identified through the presence of the six criteria of Freedom, Equality, Pluralism, Tolerance, Trust, and Transparency.

The innovation of the volume lies in its critiques of the transitology literature, its illustration of the drawbacks of culturalist and Orientalist narratives of Arab politics, and the complexity it notes with respect to civil society and its varied roles, especially that civil society is not always an unconditionally good or democratic force. Using a combination of survey, interview, and observation research approaches, these chapters engage with the development of democratic political culture and democratic knowledge in civil society organisations (CSOs) by understanding how CSOs interact with the state, other CSOs, and their members.

Presenting both critical theoretical arguments and extensive empirical evidence to demonstrate why Tunisia is such an important case, this book will be of interest to students and researchers interested in political culture, civil society, and Middle East and North African studies.

Alexander P. Martin is a lecturer in International Relations and Politics at the University of Lincoln and a Visiting Research Fellow at Durham University. He previously worked for the University of Tunis, the American University of Beirut, and the University of Exeter. He holds a PhD in Politics from Durham University.

Edited by: Larbi Sadiki, Qatar University

This series examines new ways of understanding democratization and government in the Middle East. The varied and uneven processes of change, occurring in the Middle Eastern region, can no longer be read and interpreted solely through the prism of Euro-American transitology. Seeking to frame critical parameters in light of these new horizons, this series instigates reinterpretations of democracy and propagates formerly subaltern, narratives of democratization. Reinvigorating discussion on how Arab and Middle Eastern peoples and societies seek good government, Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Democratization and Government provides tests and contests of old and new assumptions.

For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/middleeaststudies/series/RSMEDG

Political Culture and Democratic Function Since 2011

Alexander P. Martin

First published 2020

by Routledge

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2020 Alexander P. Martin

The right of Alexander P. Martin to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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ISBN: 978-0-367-14915-4 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-0-429-05390-0 (ebk)

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The 2011 Tunisian revolution of Freedom and Dignity, the first in the wave of Arab uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, was unexpected given the apparent political stability and economic prosperity of Zine El-Abidine Ben Alis dictatorship. The revolution brought an end to 24 years of corrupt leadership by Ben Ali, his mafia-like family, and the majority of the ruling elite who were removed from their positions of power and privilege. Despite halted economic progress, rising unemployment rates, political assassinations, and episodes of political deadlock in the years since 2011, democratisation progress in this small North African state has been hailed as a success in its path towards removing authoritarian, one-party state governance. The political transition has brought Tunisia closer to becoming a democratic country than the other Arab states that experienced uprisings: Egypt, Libya, Syria, Bahrain, and Yemen. Although comparisons between these Arab Uprising states can be made, they are, however, limiting because each country has experienced different aftermaths to their revolutions. Furthermore, in addition to the specific dynamics of each country, each had undergone different colonial and post-independence experiences before the uprisings. Furthermore, simply labelling Tunisia as a success ignores the pressing need for further political reforms and the continuity of authoritarian structures, power relations, and practices.

This book focuses on understanding the factors that are unique to Tunisian civil society and Tunisian political culture and how they have influenced Tunisias post-revolutionary transition. This book uses an understanding of civil society as playing a democratising function through Oppositional-Resistance and Liberal-Associative roles, both of which rely on the existence of a civil political culture (CPC).