Analysis of democratic transition process in Tunisia following the Jasmine Revolution: Impact of the civil society

The uprisings that began by late 2010 and early 2011 in the Middle East and North Africa region and entered the academic literature as the 'Arab Spring' have had a great impact on political, social and economic spheres in the region. The popular uprising, which initially took place in Tunisia, was then followed by other Arab countries. This process led to growing expectations for democratization in the Arab World. Democratization literature underlines the significance of a number of factors, among which the essence of civil society stands out. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the role played by Tunisian civil society in democratic transition in the country following the Jasmine Revolution. In Tunisia, the basis of civil society consciousness goes back a long way. It is contended that civil society organizations' active participation in the Jasmine Revolution and their constructive engagement in the post-revolution transition period have made the Tunisian case different from other Arab societies with respect to the democratization process in the post-Arab Spring. In this regard, this dissertation highlights the capacity of the Tunisian civil society in changing the political landscape in the country and its ability to include various segments of the Tunisian society to encourage mobilization both during and after the Jasmine Revolution. The historical background of Tunisian civil society's development, its activities during the uprising and the success of Tunisian civil society to find a middle ground among different sides throughout the complicated transition period are examined in a detailed way in the study. Keywords: Tunisia, Jasmine Revolution, Arab Spring, Civil Society, Democratic Transition, Middle East and North Africa