On the Theory and Practice of Democratic Transition

A renowned social scientist reflects on democratisation theory as applied in the Middle East.

Azmi Bishara’s Arduous Paths builds on his sizeable body of work on democracy through the lenses of civil society, state formation processes and theories, secularisation, populism and sectarianism.

Arab transition scholarship has often been confined to theory, reliant on models born of specific historical conditions, and uncritical of concepts of democratisation. However, while situating his research within a critical theoretical framework, Bishara engages with the challenges facing wider global contemporary Arab societies by testing theory and lessons learned from democratic transitions elsewhere against Arab cases.

This English translation of his book offers a detailed analysis and timely critique of modernisation and transition theory, interwoven with empirical evidence from the modern Middle East. Bishara evaluates the outcomes of transition experiences in Arab countries that have seen revolutions and popular uprisings, illustrating how—despite the centrality of the demand for democracy across the region during the 2010/2011 protests, and again in 2019—transition either failed or never took place. The book offers the reader a distinctly Arab contribution to the field of democratic transition studies, made all the more urgent given the relevance of the transition to democracy for those living under authoritarianism.'