Static or democratic?

by Michael Young January 1, 2005

written by Michael Young January 1, 2005

The writer Samir Kassir recently published an essay in French titled, “Considerations on the Arab Misfortune,” in which he opened with a laconic phrase: “Is there any need to describe the Arab misfortune? A few figures would be enough to reveal the gravity of the impasse in which Arab societies are blocked.” He observed that what was unusual in this misfortune was how it was “felt even by those who, elsewhere, would be seen as having been spared [misfortune] … which has taken hold in terms of perceptions and feelings.” The year 2005, because of several possibly dramatic deadlines, will arguably be that in which the Arab world can go in one of two directions with respect to open societies: toward their decisive embrace, or their indefinite postponement. In late January or February, if things go well, Iraq will hold a much-anticipated election that has all the makings of a

Michael Young

Michael Young is a senior editor at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut and editor of Diwan, Carnegie’s Middle East blog. Previously, he served as a contributing editor at Executive magazine in Lebanon. Young also worked as opinion editor and columnist for The Daily Star newspaper . He writes a biweekly commentary for The National (Abu Dhabi) and is the author of The Ghosts of Martyrs Square: An Eyewitness Account of Lebanon’s Life Struggle. Young holds degrees from the American University of Beirut and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Static or democratic?

You may also like