Speaker: Nur Laiq, Arab Youth Project, International Peace Institute, New York
Chair: John Chalcraft, Government Department, LSE
Tuesday 22 January 2013, 18.00-19.30, CON.1.05, Connaught House
Arab youth constitute over 60 percent of the population in the Middle East and were the driving force of the revolutions. They are a key force capable of mobilizing and affecting change. But how are they faring during the transition process? Are they soothsayers or truth tellers? Are they power brokers or the contre-pouvoir?
What are their aspirations and what do they view as the challenges? How do they negotiate change within the political party or organization they belong to and within the political system at large? How much power and influence do they have and are they likely to have within Tunisia and Egypt's new political landscapes?
Nur Laiq has recently returned from a field trip to Tunisia and Egypt interviewing young political and civil society activists. Nur’s talk will draw on her interviews with 60+ Tunisian and Egyptian activists from across the political spectrum. While focusing on youth, she will also speak about the changes taking place within the Tunisian and Egyptian political landscapes at large.