The Arab Uprising in Light of the Philosophy of History

Has the Arab Spring turned into a fundamentalist autumn, as some say? The Arab uprisings surprised most Arab and foreign intellectuals when they exploded like a time bomb after a long period of tension, bringing a new flavor of freedom and emancipation. However, it seems that the youth who initiated them were not the ones who ultimately reaped the rewards, but rather the Brotherhood-Salafi organizations.

This book attempts to understand the phenomenon through a long-term philosophical perspective. It asks: Why do the Arab uprisings seem closer to religious revolutions than to modern secular ones? Could the French Revolution have inaugurated the world of modernity and freedom had the Enlightenment philosophers not preceded it and paved the way?

Author: Hashem Saleh

Year of Publication: 2013