Studying the social dimensions and dynamics of change in post-2011 North Africa
The Initiative
Looking beyond the day-to-day ups and downs of political transition in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia after 2011, DIRECTIONS is a research initiative which aims at identifying and analysing directions of change in North Africa.
The research focus of DIRECTIONS is specifically on social dynamics rather than on the twists and turns so characteristic of political crises and transitional periods. Concerning the rationale behind this research agenda, only by looking at the deeper changes occurring within these societies can an informed understanding of the overall scope and direction of the transformational process underway in post-revolutionary Egypt, Libya and Tunisia develop.
Priority attention is therefore given to spatial and temporal developments, namely: on the ground, at the local level, and with a mid- to long-term perspective. Multidisciplinarity, as well as collaborative work with researchers, professionals and actors in the countries studied, is also key to identifying and deepening our understanding of the main areas and directions of change in the region.
The project commenced on September 19th 2013 and will initially run for one year.
Events 2013-2014
Conference - "Tribes and Political Change in Libya" - Florence, 5-7 May 2014
Workshop - "Civili-Military Relations in Times of Transition" - Florence, 7-8 April 2014
Workshop – “Rural World and Political Change in Egypt and Tunisia” – Florence, 3-4 February 2014
Page last updated on 18 August 2017