Beyond the Square: Urbanism and the Arab Uprisings

Beyond the Square: Urbanism and the Arab Uprisings focuses on the urban spatial dynamics of the mass protest movements that convulsed the Arab region since December 2010. The volume shifts attention away from public squares — and in particular Tahrir Square in Cairo — to consider the broader urban context in which the uprisings unfolded. The essays are topically and geographically diverse, exploring a range of sociospatial phenomena in countries that are at the heart of the Arab uprisings as well as those countries that appeared peripheral to the upheaval. This breadth of perspective highlights the centrality of space and spatial concerns to the ongoing political transformations in the region. In this way, the book provides a distinctive — and critical — analysis of one of the most significant political events of our time.