'The term Islamist doesn't mean anything anymore'
Not since 1989 has a whole region undergone democratic revolution, but what are the common denominators in the Arab Spring? DW asked Lebanese lecturer and activist Ziad Majed, and he gave some surprising answers.
Ziad Majed is a lecturer in political science at the American University in Paris. In 2004, he co-founded the Democratic Left Movement and participated in the Lebanese uprising of 2005 against the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. In 2009 he joined the Beirut Spring Forum. Deutsche Welle: We hear a lot about the relatively young age of populations in the countries that have overthrown rulers this year. But your take on that is somewhat different, isn't it? Ziad Majed: The demographic boom that we had in the past was over a few years ago, but the product of this boom is there, and it was young people taking to the streets now. However, the birth rate of this generation is much lower than that of its parents. That means at the age of 25 or 26, when their parents had two or three or four children, they don't have any kids. That makes them more capable of being mobilized. In addition, the fact that the age of marriage, whether for economic reasons or changing values, is becoming higher allowed them to take to the streets. This explains why the revolutions happened now and not five or 10 years ago. But youth still plays a role. You have to realize that people were simply extremely tired of seeing the same old faces in power who ruled when their parents were young. What I could also add is urbanization. That means territorial and social continuity. Young people are no longer isolated in small villages or small towns. The role of global media feeds into that trend, doesn't it? The first thing is satellite media. Anywhere you go in the Arab world, you'll see small dishes or even illegal satellite TV receptors. So direct governmental censorship and control of the media is no longer an issue. Everyone goes to al-Jazeera or al-Arabiya or even Arabophone European stations. Then, Internet penetration is becoming much higher. People can meet in cyber-cafés and discuss what they read. In Egypt, for instance. Khalid Said was a young guy in Alexandria who owned a cyber-café. The police were trying to force him to pay bribes and he refused. He even took pictures with his mobile phone of policemen beating someone. So they kidnapped him, and he was beaten and killed. The anger following his death led to the creation of a facebook page, which was one of the most important sites at the beginning of the revolution. In Syria, what was most important was that every citizen became a reporter. Independent, international media aren't allowed. So the only way for people to cover what's happening is by making mobile-phone images and uploading them to Youtube so the world can witness what's going on. A moderate Islamist party just took the most votes in elections in Tunisia, and the Muslim Brotherhood may emerge as the strongest party in next month's vote in Egypt. How does that square with democracy? The term "Islamist" doesn't mean anything anymore. The word arose in the 1980s and 90s to describe the rise of political Islam. Today, there's a whole sprectrum of groups that can be described as Islamist from the Wahabis to the Salafis, the Muslim Brotherhood to Hezbollah and Hamas. All these groups are different and don't agree on a single version of the sharia. The West should understand that under repressive regimes mosques were places of refuge, and that there's a tendency after the fall of a regime to vote for groups representing the victims of that regime. So it's logical that there should be some Islamist parties doing well. But that doesn't mean the same thing it did in the 1980s and 90s, when the movements concentrated on changing regimes by violence or force. For the first time, Islamist movements have achieved power through elections, and that will change them, making them part of the political game. They may win now. But if they don't deliver on problems like unemployment, why would anyone vote for them again? But won't they try to turn back the clock in a lot of ways? They might be very conservative in their mindset, but they cannot impose what they consider to be an Islamization of society. They are not the strongest part of the democratic movement, only the most organized. I'm not scared because I think the Arab Spring is irreversible. People have discovered the power of the street and of mobilization. So if the "Islamists" try to impose something on society, what's stopping people from going back out on the street and saying "We're not happy with this?" And what can Europe and the West in general do to help ensure that the democratic promise of the Arab Spring becomes a reality? Four things. We need investment that's decentralized so as to bring prosperity to neglected regions and that's guided by a principle of corporate responsibility. We need observers who monitor progress and issue reports on things like women's rights or help train police to act up to Western standards. We need help setting up better electoral systems and reforming the judiciary so that it's independent. And we need help educating people. That's probably most important of all. Interview: Jefferson Chase Editor: Rob Mudge
Islamist
1989
Arab Spring
Arab_Spring 2011–12_Saudi_Arabian_protests Internet_censorship_in_the_Arab_Spring Impact_of_the_Arab_Spring
DW
Drum_Workshop Deutsche_Welle DW-TV Defender_(association_football) Dreamworld_(Australian_theme_park) Data_warehouse Delhi_Wizards D.W._Read DW Discworld
Lebanese
lecturer
activist
Ziad Majed
Ziad_Majed
Ziad Majed
Ziad_Majed
American University
American_University American_Eagles The_American_University_in_Cairo American_Eagles_men's_basketball American_University_of_Beirut Washington_College_of_Law American_University_(Nicaragua) American_University_of_Paris Higher_education_in_the_United_States RIT_Kosovo American_Eagles_wrestling List_of_United_States_university_campuses_by_enrollment
Paris
Paris Paris_Masters Paris_(mythology) University_of_Paris Paris,_Texas Paris,_Ontario Paris,_Tennessee Paris_(rapper) Open_GDF_Suez Paris_FC Paris,_Kentucky Meeting_de_Paris Stade_Roland_Garros Paris_(The_Chainsmokers_song) AccorHotels_Arena Paris,_Illinois
2004
Democratic Left Movement
Democratic_Left_Movement_(Lebanon) Democratic_Left_Movement_(Peru)
Lebanese
2005
Syrian
Lebanon
Lebanon Lebanon_national_football_team Lebanon,_Pennsylvania A1_Team_Lebanon Lebanon,_Tennessee Lebanon,_New_Hampshire Lebanon_national_rugby_league_team Lebanon_County,_Pennsylvania Lebanon,_Ohio Lebanon,_Missouri Lebanon,_Connecticut Lebanon,_Kentucky Lebanon,_Oregon Lebanon_(2009_film) Lebanon,_Indiana Lebanon_national_basketball_team
2009
Beirut Spring Forum
Deutsche Welle
Deutsche_Welle Deutsche_Welle_GmbH DW-TV
Ziad Majed
Ziad_Majed
Arab
Arabs Arab_Canadians Arab_citizens_of_Israel Arab_world Arab_Americans Arab_cuisine Arab,_Alabama Palestinians Arabic Arabic_music Arab_Indonesians Arab_culture British_Arabs Arabian_horse Arab_(horse) History_of_Arabs_in_Afghanistan
al-Jazeera
Al_Jazeera Al-Jazeera_Club_(Jordan) Al_Jazeera_English Al-Jazeera_SC_(Syria) Al_Jazeera_SC Al_Jazeera_Media_Network Aljazeera_SC Upper_Mesopotamia Al-Jazira_Province Al_Jazeera_America BeIN_Sports_(Middle_East_TV_network) Aljazeera_Publishing
al-Arabiya
Al_Arabiya Al-Arabiya_Coalition
Arabophone
European
Internet
Internet Internet_radio Streaming_television Internet_service_provider Internet_access World_Wide_Web Cable_Internet_access Internet_protocol_suite Internet_culture Internet_Party_(New_Zealand) Internet_pornography Internet_art Dot-com_company Top_Internet_Albums Webcomic Online_banking
Egypt
Egypt Egypt_national_football_team Ancient_Egypt Egypt_(Roman_province) Kingdom_of_Egypt Egypt_Eyalet Egypt_in_the_Middle_Ages Egyptian_Football_Association Ptolemaic_Kingdom Egypt_national_basketball_team Khedivate_of_Egypt History_of_ancient_Egypt Egypt_national_handball_team Egypt_Fed_Cup_team Egypt_women's_national_squash_team Egyptian_revolution_of_2011
Khalid Said
Death_of_Khaled_Mohamed_Saeed
Alexandria
Alexandria Alexandria,_Virginia Alexandria,_Louisiana Alexandria,_Minnesota Alexandria,_West_Dunbartonshire Alexandria,_New_South_Wales Alexandria,_Romania Alexandria_Governorate Patriarch_of_Alexandria North_Glengarry,_Ontario Alexandria,_Indiana Greek_Orthodox_Patriarchate_of_Alexandria_and_all_Africa Alexandria,_Kentucky Alexandria,_New_York Alexandria,_British_Columbia Alexandria,_New_Hampshire
facebook
Facebook Facebook_Platform Censorship_of_Facebook Social-network_game Facebook_Watch Facebook_Home Facebook_Messenger Facebook_Live List_of_Facebook_features YouTube Instagram Initial_public_offering_of_Facebook Google
Syria
Syria Roman_Syria Syria_national_football_team Bilad_al-Sham Syria_(region) Ottoman_Syria Syrian_Arab_Federation_for_Football Syrian_Civil_War French_Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon Syrian_Republic_(1946–1963) Mandatory_Syrian_Republic Syria–Lebanon_Campaign History_of_Syria Greater_Syria Arab_Kingdom_of_Syria Seleucid_Empire
Youtube
YouTube Censorship_of_YouTube List_of_YouTubers YouTuber Social_impact_of_YouTube YouTube_Premium IBM_Cloud_Video
Islamist
Tunisia
Tunisia Tunisia_national_football_team Tunisian_Football_Federation Tunisian_Campaign French_protectorate_of_Tunisia Tunisia_national_handball_team Tunisian_Revolution Tunisia_national_rugby_union_team Tunisia_national_basketball_team Tunisia_Fed_Cup_team Tunisia_Davis_Cup_team History_of_the_Jews_in_Tunisia Elections_in_Tunisia Tunisian_Ligue_Professionnelle_1 Football_in_Tunisia Miss_Tunisie
Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim_Brotherhood Muslim_Brotherhood_in_Egypt Muslim_Brotherhood_of_Syria History_of_the_Muslim_Brotherhood_in_Egypt Jordanian_Muslim_Brotherhood Yihewani
Egypt
Egypt Egypt_national_football_team Ancient_Egypt Egypt_(Roman_province) Kingdom_of_Egypt Egypt_Eyalet Egypt_in_the_Middle_Ages Egyptian_Football_Association Ptolemaic_Kingdom Egypt_national_basketball_team Khedivate_of_Egypt History_of_ancient_Egypt Egypt_national_handball_team Egypt_Fed_Cup_team Egypt_women's_national_squash_team Egyptian_revolution_of_2011
Islamist
1980
90
Islam
Islam Islam_in_the_Philippines Islam_in_Australia Islam_in_Indonesia Islam_in_Ethiopia Sunni_Islam Islam_in_Albania Islam_in_Malaysia Islam_in_the_Republic_of_Macedonia Islam_in_Lebanon Islam_in_India Islam_in_China Islam_in_Sri_Lanka Islam_in_the_United_Kingdom Islam_in_the_United_States Islam_in_Norway
Islamist
Wahabis
Salafis
Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim_Brotherhood Muslim_Brotherhood_in_Egypt Muslim_Brotherhood_of_Syria History_of_the_Muslim_Brotherhood_in_Egypt Jordanian_Muslim_Brotherhood Yihewani
Hezbollah
Hezbollah Hezbollah_(Iran) Loyalty_to_the_Resistance_Bloc Turkish_Hezbollah Hezbollah_armed_strength Flag_of_Hezbollah Hezbollah_Movement_in_Iraq Hezbollah_involvement_in_the_Syrian_Civil_War Funding_of_Hezbollah
Hamas
Hamas Hamas_(horse) Governance_of_the_Gaza_Strip Movement_of_Society_for_Peace
West
Western_United_States Western_world West Western_Conference_(WNBA) West_Africa Western_Ukraine West_Province_(Western_Australia) West_(cigarette) West_Germany American_League_West Longitude Scottish_Junior_Football_Association,_West_Region Enoch_West Senior_League_World_Series_(West_Region) Western_European_Summer_Time David_West_(basketball)
Islamist
1980
90
Islamist
Arab Spring
Arab_Spring 2011–12_Saudi_Arabian_protests Internet_censorship_in_the_Arab_Spring Impact_of_the_Arab_Spring
Islamists
Europe
Europe UEFA Europe_(band) UEFA_competitions European_Athletic_Association European_theatre_of_World_War_II European_Union Europe_(dinghy) European_Cricket_Council UEFA_Champions_League Senior_League_World_Series_(Europe–Africa_Region) Big_League_World_Series_(Europe–Africa_Region) Sailing_at_the_2004_Summer_Olympics_–_Europe Neolithic_Europe History_of_Europe Europe_(magazine)
West
Western_United_States Western_world West Western_Conference_(WNBA) West_Africa Western_Ukraine West_Province_(Western_Australia) West_(cigarette) West_Germany American_League_West Longitude Scottish_Junior_Football_Association,_West_Region Enoch_West Senior_League_World_Series_(West_Region) Western_European_Summer_Time David_West_(basketball)
Arab Spring
Arab_Spring 2011–12_Saudi_Arabian_protests Internet_censorship_in_the_Arab_Spring Impact_of_the_Arab_Spring
Western
Western_(genre) Western_world Western_culture Western_United_States Western_Province,_Sri_Lanka Western_Province_(Victoria) Western_film Western_Europe Western_comics Western_fiction Western_Conference_(NBA) Western_music_(North_America) Western_Mustangs Western_Province_(Papua_New_Guinea) American_frontier Western_Province_(Kenya)
Interview: Jefferson Chase Editor: Rob Mudge
Jefferson Chase
Rob Mudge
Western
Western_world
topic::none type::entity type::loc-x type::location type::other type::regio
Deutsche Welle
Deutsche_Welle
topic::media type::entity type::media type::organization
Islamists
Islamism
iptc::12000000 topic::none topic::religion type::other type::religion-x
Ziad Majed
Ziad_Majed
gender::male iptc::05000000 slot::interviewee slot::keyword topic::education type::entity type::person type::teacher
Islamist
iptc::12000000 slot::keyword topic::none topic::religion type::other type::religion-x
Arab Spring
Arab_Spring
iptc::16000000 slot::keyword topic::conflict type::entity type::event type::protest
1989
topic::none type::time type::value
Lebanese
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
lecturer
topic::none type::role type::value
activist
topic::none type::role type::value
American University
American_University_of_Paris
iptc::05000000 topic::education type::education_org type::entity type::organization
Paris
Paris
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
2004
topic::none type::time type::value
Democratic Left Movement
Democratic_Left_Movement_(Lebanon)
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
2005
topic::none type::time type::value
Syrian
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
Lebanon
Lebanon
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
2009
topic::none type::time type::value
Beirut Spring Forum
meta::todo topic::none type::entity type::organization
Arab
Arabs
topic::none type::entity type::ethnicity
al-Jazeera
Al_Jazeera
topic::media type::entity type::media type::organization
al-Arabiya
Al_Arabiya
topic::media type::entity type::media type::organization
Arabophone
topic::none type::none type::other type::skip
European
topic::none type::loc-x type::other
Internet
Internet
iptc::13000000 topic::science type::entity type::misc type::technology
Egypt
Egypt
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Khalid Said
wikidata:Q559182
gender::male iptc::02000000 topic::justice type::entity type::person type::victim
Alexandria
Alexandria
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
facebook
topic::media type::entity type::media type::organization
Syria
Syria
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Youtube
YouTube
topic::media type::entity type::media type::organization
Tunisia
Tunisia
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim_Brotherhood
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
1980
topic::none type::time type::value
90
topic::none type::time type::value
Islam
Islam
iptc::12000000 topic::religion type::entity type::misc type::religion
Wahabis
Wahhabism
iptc::12000000 topic::none topic::religion type::other type::religion-x
Salafis
Salafi_movement
iptc::12000000 topic::none topic::religion type::other type::religion-x
Hezbollah
Hezbollah
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
Hamas
Hamas
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
Europe
Europe
topic::none type::entity type::location type::regio
Interview: Jefferson Chase Editor: Rob Mudge
topic::none type::footer type::other
Jefferson Chase
gender::male slot::interviewer topic::media type::entity type::journalist type::person
Rob Mudge
gender::male topic::media type::entity type::journalist type::person
France
State_of_Palestine
Germany