The Future of the Arab Spring

Civic entrepreneurship lies at the heart of the Arab Spring. From the iconic image of an occupied Tahrir Square to scenes of dancing protesters in Syria and politically conscious hip hop in Tunisia, people across the Middle East and North Africa continue to collaborate and experiment their way out of years of dictatorship and political stagnation.ÿ The Future of the Arab Spring examines the spirit of civic entrepreneurship that brought once untouchable dictators to their knees and continues to shape the region's political, artistic, and technology sectors. Through interviews with some of the region's leading civic entrepreneurs, including political activists, artists, and technologists, Maryam Jamshidi broadens popular understandings of recent events in this misunderstood region of the world. - Features first-hand interviews with some of the most important political, cultural, and economic players on the ground in Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, and other Arab Spring countries - Offers a window into a region often misunderstood in the United States - Illuminates the potential for positive, grassroots change in the social, political, and economic systems of Arab countries

Maryam Jamshidi is the founder of Muftah.org, a digital magazine focusing on domestic and international issues confronting countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Maryam received a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Brown University, a Master's degree in Political Theory from the London School of Economics, and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Specializing in the legal issues pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, domestic Iranian politics, and international criminal law and transitional justice as they relate to the region, she recently completed five months of travel in the areas affected by the Arab Spring.