As turmoil and freedom remain topical in the Middle East, students enrolled in professor David Faris’ Egyptian Politics and Comparative Democratization classes receive a unique educational experience. As the revolutions continue in the Middle East, many students find an enlightening parallel to what they are learning in the classroom and observing from the real world. Full story
As turmoil and freedom remain topical in the Middle East, students enrolled in professor David Faris’ Egyptian Politics and Comparative Democratization classes receive a unique educational experience.
As the revolutions continue in the Middle East, many students find an enlightening parallel to what they are learning in the classroom and observing from the real world.
“I’ve never felt that something I was learning in class was so relevant to what was going on in the world at the time,” said Michelle Fashandi, who is a double major in international studies and economics. “It’s also been pretty entertaining to read articles and books in which political officials in Egypt are quoted as saying that revolution will never happen there.”
The recent Egyptian revolution started on Jan. 25 and resulted in the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, as well as the military controlling their government. In the neighboring Libya, protests began on Feb. 15 and within a week, spread with dictator Moammar Gadhafi struggling to maintain control. Currently, Libya is in the middle of an ongoing armed conflict with rebels, now called the Transitional National Council, against the 42-year-rule of Gadhafi.
Faris said the recent Arab revolutions are all important waves of democracy. He said the incident in Tunisia where a fruit-seller set himself on fire to protest the government was the catalyst in Egypt. There are many other factors to the recent revolts and one very notable cause is the passion of the youth. The youth make up the most of the population of the protesters.
Fashandi said the role young people are playing in the uprisings throughout the Middle East is vital. “It is amazing to see the factors which separate the Egyptian people such as religion and social class, and instead focuses on the common goal of basic human rights and democracy,” said Fashandi.
Faris has conducted most of his research on Egypt and the role that social media plays in assisting with organized revolutions. Faris has traveled to Egypt as part of his research.
A student in Faris’ Comparative Democratization class, Amber Abousamra, said the course is very welcoming to Faris’s input and the students. Abousamra said, “Students will often engage in the discussion with questions and concerns to gain a better understanding.”
“Since our professor has lived and studied in Egypt, he has been able to offer us invaluable insight to what is truly taking place,” said Abousamra, a political science major with a minor in legal studies.
Faris said it is important to note that the youth are at the forefront of the revolutions in the Middle East. “What happened in Tunisia and Egypt is a reminder to all of us that young people really do have the power to bring about important changes, both in the Middle East and here.”
