The Arab Spring: Theoretical perspectives on the regimes of North Africa and the Middle East

This article is concerned with the Arab Spring as an example of regime change in authoritarian contexts. It investigates whether the institutional characteristics of authoritarian regimes may have influenced the development and outcomes of revolutionary instability in the affected states of the region. The causes and dynamics of the Arab Spring are evaluated theoretically according to the particular regime characteristics encountered in the geopolitical span of the phenomenon. Theoretical perspectives are provided on different regime types, according to a typology of authoritarian regimes, in addition to perspectives on the dynamics of revolutionary regime change in authoritarian contexts. Throughout, particular attention is devoted to the dynamic interaction between social forces and the institutions of state.