By Arab Studies Institute and the Asfari Institute
02/20/2015 03:00 am - 02/22/2015 12:30 pm Location: Beirut, Lebanon The February 2015 conference commemorates the fourth anniversary of the revolts that began in Tunisia in the final days of 2010 and rapidly spread to nearly half the countries of the Arab region. The revolts provided a stellar example of the power of citizen engagement as millions of people took to the streets and toppled long-time authoritarian regimes or leaders, changing perceptions of the “Arab Street” for good. Four years later, where are those millions? How do we understand and assess their successes or failures in achieving their demands for freedom, dignity and social justice? Do we know enough about the historical roots of civil society activism in the region to ascribe cause-and-effect in regard to these events? What are the medium and long-term prospects for the future of citizenship participation in the public sphere, given the current realities? What are the factors that give rise to hope in some countries or open the pit of despair in others? The conference does not claim to assess the Arab uprisings as such. Rather, it aims to shed light on the dynamics of civil society and citizen activism in the region, and to promote an understanding of the historical, political, economic and legal factors affecting this activism. It also aims to gather collective wisdom as to the short-and long-term potential for continued citizen engagement, fill knowledge gaps, assist the Asfari Institute to develop its research agenda, and point the way to future programming. Exploring an Agenda for Active Citizenship PROGRAM Day 1: Friday, February 20, 2015 8:00-8:45 Conference Registration Bathish Auditorium, West Hall, American University of Beirut (AUB) 9:00-9:30 Welcome and Opening Session
9:30-11:00 Panel 1: Civil Society in Arab region: Concepts and Case Studies (1) Chair: Fateh Azzam, Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship, AUB
Michael Schultz, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
11:00-11:30 Break 11:30-1:15 Panel 2: Civil Society in Arab region: Concepts and Case Studies (2) Chair: Rania Masri, Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship, AUB
1:15-2:30 Lunch 2:30-4:00 Panel 3: Civil Society in Arab region: Concepts and Case Studies (3) Chair: Bassam Haddad, Arab Studies Institute, George Mason University
4:00-4:30 Break 4:30-5:30 Open Discussion Facilitator: Rania Masri, Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship, AUB
Day 2: Saturday, February 21, 2015 9:00-10:30 Panel 4: Citizenship in the Arab region: Concepts and Case Studies (1) Chair: Sami Attallah, The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies
10:30-11:00 Break 11:00-12:30 Panel 5: Citizenship in the Arab region: Concepts and Case Studies (2) Chair: Hind Ghandour, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
12:30-2:00 Lunch 2:00-3:30 Panel 6: Citizenship in the Arab region: Concepts and Case Studies (3) Chair: Omar Dewachi, AUB
Tamara Alkhas, British Council, Jordan 3:30-4:00 Break 4:00-5:30 Panel 7: Examinations from different lenses Chair: Sami Ofeish, University of Balamand, Lebanon
7:00 Dinner and Cultural Evening, Metro el Madina, Hamra Street
DAY 3: Sunday, 22 February, 2015 9:00-10:30 Panel 8: The rulers and the ruled Chair: Sbeih Sbeih, Birzeit University
10:30-11:00 Break 11:00-12:30 Panel 9: The rulers and the ruled (2) Chair: Hassan Abbas, Syrian League for Citizenship
12:30-2:00 Lunch 2:00-4:30 Open Discussion: Elements for A Future Agenda Facilitators: Ziad Abdel Samad, Arab NGO Network for Development; Fateh Azzam, Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship, AUB; Bassam Haddad, Arab Studies Institute, George Mason University; and Rania Masri, Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship, AUB
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