YEMEN
By: Mallory Strong, Mattison Tenry, and Autumn O'Shields
To start us off: What exactly is the "Arab spring"?
Arab Spring refers to the democratic uprisings that arose independently and spread across the Arab world in 2011. The movement originated in Tunisia in December 2010 and quickly took hold in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
What caused these events in Yemen?
It was inspired by events in Tunisia and Egypt. The people in Yemen protested against the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. After constant protest, Yemen erupted into a civil war.
What role did social media play in the event?
2 different views:
- Middle class didn't know how to use social media correctly, so it was very exaggerated and that made it spread around very quickly.
- The other view exposes that social media played a key role in debate in the Arab Spring because it started online conversations that were often major events on the ground, and that social media helped to spread democratic ideals across international borders.
Yemen vs. Egypt
Compare and Contrasts
Comparing the two-
- Yemen and Egypt both had powerful protests that led to something great- the President having to step down.
- Yemen's President stepped down in 2011, while Egypt held it's first democratic elections in 2011.
What is the status of the Yemen 5 years later?
After the Arab Spring occurred in Yemen, the president currently in reign, Addrabbuh Hadi, has had a tough time tackling key ideas like malnutrition and poverty.
FUN FACTS
What were they trying to do to Ali Abdullah Saleh?
They tried to do everything they could to force him out of power to make the government better and fight for what they wanted.
How crazy did the protests get?
Insane- people were willing to even fight for their own life within these protests against the government.
When did the Arab Spring in Yemen begin and end?
January 14th, 2011- March 11th, 2011