The Arab Spring: Good For Women's Rights?

Abstract

This paper analyzes the present and future impact of the Arab Spring movement on women's rights and representation in government in the Middle East. It compares two countries: Tunisia, which experienced democratization as a result of the Arab Spring, and Morocco, which remains a monarchy. After a qualitative and quantitative analysis, this paper concludes that although the Arab Spring has thus far had a modest impact on women's rights and representation in government in Tunisia, if current trends hold, we will likely see improvements in Tunisian women's status in the future. This paper won the 2018 Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs Paper Prize.