In 2011 there was a wave of protests against dictatorial regimes in various countries in the Middle East, the so-called Arab Spring. The revolutionaries called for bread, justice and dignity. Many hoped that this was the start of a new era in the Arab world. Two years later, it is time for a reality check. Former diplomat and Arabist Petra Stienen looks at the other voices in the Arab world that are still optimistic about the future.
Petra Stienen is the author of ‘Het andere Arabische geluid. Een nieuwe toekomst voor het Midden-Oosten?’