By: Ida Marie Piper
The great auditorium at Political Science, Aarhus University is packed just short of bursting. A couple of students came a bit late due to a detour for coffee in the cafeteria. As a result, they are now seated on the floor. For the next couple of hours, focus will be on the Arab revolutions. And the audience is full of anticipation. It is Friday afternoon, and outside, large groups of students are enjoying their Friday beer. The auditorium is stuffy, and many in the audience sit with their pen and paper ready. Occasioned by a theme issue of ”Tidsskriftet Politik”, the Department of Political Science are hosting the conference "The Arab Revolts – rebellion in society and in science". The Arab revolutions of recent years have come as a surprise to most. At this conference, four researchers focus on whether and how Middle Eastern studies and social science may offer tools for understanding and explaining the character, cause, and implications of the Arab revolts in the past year.
Jørgen Møller, associate professor in political science at Aarhus University, starts out by offering a defense for researchers who have, collectively, failed to predict an uprising in the Arabic countries. Bjørn Olav Utvik, professor at Olso University, takes over to shed light on how to understand the significance of Islamic groups for the Arab spring. Rasmus Boserup from DIIS explains that one should perhaps understand the upheavals in the Arabic countries as a sign of politicisation rather than one of democratisation. Laura Toft Nielsen from political science rounds off the seminar by talking about the significance of the social media for the Arab revolutions.
After the seminar, the audience converge in the cafeteria, where researchers and students have a casual chat about the seminar over a glass of wine. Three students, who have followed the seminar closely, tell us about their experiences:
MA student of religious studies, minoring in social studies.
Why did you attend the seminar today?
”I have come to get a broader perspective on the Arab spring. Moreover, I follow a course about political protest and social movements. And the Arab spring is very intersting when one is concerned with political protest and social movements. And so I hoped that the seminar would inspire me for an exam paper.”.Have you gained new knowledge?
”Yes, I definitely have. Sadly, I didn't come out from the seminar with a clear idea for an exam paper, but I thought Bjørn Olav Utviks points were very interesting. Among other things, he talked about the significance of Islamist groups for the processes of change in the Middle East. I may keep that in mind when choosing my exam subject. Other than that, it was very interesting how the speakers alternated between the broader perspectives and examples from specific countries.”.
Student of political science, 6th semester
Why did you attend the seminar today?
”I am very interested in the Middle East. Previously, I have worked as a dialogue ambassador aiming for young people from Demmark and the Middle East to become acquainted. From that context, I know many people from the Middle East, and so it is very exciting for me to gain further insight concerning the changes currently taking place in the Middle East. Moreover, I will soon be writing by bachelor's thesis, so I was hoping that the seminar would provide me with inspiration for a paper.”.Have you gained new knowledge?
”I am mostly interested in the overall development tendencies in the Middle East, so I found the first two presentations very exciting. Bjørn Olav Utvik and Rasmus Boserup both said that perhaps one should view the Arab revolutions as a sign of politicisation – rather than one of democratisation. That was interesting, but I suppose I had hoped to gain more knowledge that would be of concrete use in my bachelor's thesis. Some more discussion of democratisation in the Middle East. Are the Arab revolts the way towards democracy? And what will it take for these countries to become democratic?".
MA student of Middle Eastern studies at Lund University
Why were you here today?
”We are a group from Lund University who have come to Aarhus today to attend the seminar and present our papers at the Department of Political Science. I have investigated the Sahwa movement in Saudi Arabia, and have given my estimate of the future significance of the movement".Have you gained new knowledge at the seminar?
”Bjørn Olav Utvik had some very interesting views concerning Islamic groups. One seldomly finds an European researcher with such a positive view of Islam and of what significance Islamic groups may have for the development in the Arabic countries. It was also interesting to hear Laura Toft Nielsen's presentation about the media as a component of future change. So all in all, it has been a very fine day.”
