ISF International Security Forum

Monday, 30 May 2011, 14:20 - 16:00

Plenary Session

Recent upheavals in the Arab world have challenged a number of long-established views on this particular region. Traditionally, it has been regarded by outsiders as being immune to meaningful political change and good governance, condemned to sluggish growth, and entrapped in traditional and religious beliefs, as well as being prone to conflict and violence. However, in early 2011, Arab societies unexpectedly began proving all these assertions wrong. The overthrow of long-serving dictatorial regimes in Tunisia and Egypt through popular uprisings has inspired copy-cat developments in most Arab republics and some of the monarchies. While still an ongoing process, the results of these changes promise to have profound effects on both the regional and global level. Will Egypt regain its natural role as the prominent regional leader? How would a change of regime in Syria affect the regional picture? Will the move towards more pluralistic political systems strengthen or weaken US influence? How will emerging regional reconfigurations change the balance of power in the MENA region and what will it mean for the Arab-Israeli conflict?

Listen to the Opening Plenary Session (Audio)

Chair

Fred Tanner
Ambassador and Director, Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), Switzerland

Speakers

John W Limbert
Ambassador and Distinguished Professor of International Affairs, United States Naval Academy
Director, Office of Force Transformation, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD

Volker Perthes
Professor and Director, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Berlin

Yossi Alpher
Co-Editor, bitterlemons Family of internet publications
Former Director, Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Fawaz A Gerges
Director of the Middle East Centre and Professor of Middle Eastern Politics and International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK

Location

Plenary Room