The Arab Spring: Lessons from Iran
Monica M. Ringer
Associate Professor of History and Asian Languages and Civilizations
October 21, 2011
One of the most notable aspects of the Arab revolts that spread throughout the Middle East in the spring of 2011 was the innovative use of the internet and social networking. Almost exactly two years previously, the Iranian Green Movement was the first to deploy these new technologies against the government. What can we learn from the Iranian experience? Do these 'facebook' revolutions portend radical change for the future of democracy movements in the Middle East? This lecture examines the Arab revolts and the Iranian Green Movement in comparative perspective with particular reference to social networking, visual art, and the youth.
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