It’s not hard to come by optimism in Tunisia these days. In our meetings with the National Democratic Institute and the Tunisian American Chamber of Commerce, our interviewees expressed great optimism for the future of Tunisia. One interviewee attributed such optimism to her Mediterranean roots. Having Mediterranean roots myself, I suppose I fall into this trap as well. The more of Tunisia we see, the more optimistic I become, but the more skeptical I become as well. I really believe things have the potential to go extraordinarily well, but the challenges become increasingly clear.
We spent our past two days in Sfax, where we were hosted by a group of students from the University of Sfax. They came from two clubs: the Tunisian Culture Club and the English Fan Club. Since my research topic is the role of education in democratization, meeting these students was a very rich learning experience. We discussed various topics with them, from Islamism to trade unions to the constitution. What impressed me most, however, was not the content necessarily, but the practice of discussion. They discussed rationally and critically and with great interest. They claimed that these skills were not acquired in the classroom; rather, they took the initiative to seek out these clubs that connected them with other students and allowed them to interact on a more meaningful level. These skills are absolutely critical to a democracy, and it was encouraging to see them in practice.
Besides this, there are many things that keep me optimistic about Tunisia. It has a functioning infrastructure, economic potential, and a viable political system. Occasionally, however, I’m reminded that our view is a somewhat glossed-over view. For example, while a handful of Sfaxian students were discussing the rhetoric of trade unions, a side conversation informed me “We are not interested in politics.” While our group is exposed to the hustle-bustle of Tunis and surrounding tourist sites, we haven’t seen how the interior is coping. Even the decision to travel to Tunisia (instead of Egypt, as originally planned) reflects the fact that Tunisia is probably the most stable post- Arab Spring nation.
In this sense, then, we are seeing a tiny slice of a a larger country which is yet another slice of a larger region. That tiny slice, however, has potential, and the optimistic Mediterranean in me hopes it will spark greater change throughout the country and throughout the greater region.
We spent our past two days in Sfax, where we were hosted by a group of students from the University of Sfax. They came from two clubs: the Tunisian Culture Club and the English Fan Club. Since my research topic is the role of education in democratization, meeting these students was a very rich learning experience. We discussed various topics with them, from Islamism to trade unions to the constitution. What impressed me most, however, was not the content necessarily, but the practice of discussion. They discussed rationally and critically and with great interest. They claimed that these skills were not acquired in the classroom; rather, they took the initiative to seek out these clubs that connected them with other students and allowed them to interact on a more meaningful level. These skills are absolutely critical to a democracy, and it was encouraging to see them in practice.
Besides this, there are many things that keep me optimistic about Tunisia. It has a functioning infrastructure, economic potential, and a viable political system. Occasionally, however, I’m reminded that our view is a somewhat glossed-over view. For example, while a handful of Sfaxian students were discussing the rhetoric of trade unions, a side conversation informed me “We are not interested in politics.” While our group is exposed to the hustle-bustle of Tunis and surrounding tourist sites, we haven’t seen how the interior is coping. Even the decision to travel to Tunisia (instead of Egypt, as originally planned) reflects the fact that Tunisia is probably the most stable post- Arab Spring nation.
In this sense, then, we are seeing a tiny slice of a a larger country which is yet another slice of a larger region. That tiny slice, however, has potential, and the optimistic Mediterranean in me hopes it will spark greater change throughout the country and throughout the greater region.
Thanks for the latest post. Could I suggest that each poster identify themselves?
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