Democracy’s uncertain prospects 10 years after the Arab Spring

Ten years after the rise of the pro-democracy movements collectively dubbed “the Arab Spring” the Arab world is a complicated mix of governments and societies that have evolved in vastly different ways. There have been democratic successes like Tunisia, setbacks like Egypt, and failed states like Yemen and Libya. In some places like Saudia Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, authoritarians have evolved to meet the threat to their power. In others, like Iraq and Lebanon, democratic impulses still exist but representative government hangs precariously in the balance. Harvard Kennedy School Professor Tarek Masoud is the faculty chair of the Middle East Initiative and a knowledgeable observer of the Arab world’s politics. He joins host Thoko Moyo to explore what has happened over the past 10 years, what lies ahead, and what the new US administration can do to support democracy in a region where many still view it with suspicion.