The Arab Spring Abroad: Diaspora Activism against Authoritarian Regimes (Cambridge Studies in Contentious Politics)

The Arab Spring revolutions of 2011 sent shockwaves across the globe, mobilizing diaspora communities to organize forcefully against authoritarian regimes. Despite the important role that diasporas can play in influencing affairs in their countries of origin, little is known about when diaspora actors mobilize, how they intervene, or what makes them effective. This book addresses these questions, drawing on over 230 original interviews, fieldwork, and comparative analysis. Examining Libyan, Syrian, and Yemeni mobilization from the US and Great Britain before and during the revolutions, Dana M. Moss presents a new framework for understanding the transnational dynamics of contention and the social forces that either enable or suppress transnational activism. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series information 4 Title page 5 Copyright information 6 Contents 7 List of Figures 9 List of Tables 11 Acknowledgments 13 A Note on Transliteration 17 List of Abbreviations 19 Introduction 21 1.1 The Arab Spring Uprisings 26 1.2 The Arab Spring Abroad 29 1.3 The Role of Diaspora Movements in Contentious Politics 31 1.4 Emergent Puzzles from the Arab Spring Abroad 34 1.5 Investigating Libyan, Syrian, and Yemeni Activism from the United States and Britain 36 1.6 The Conditions Shaping Voice After Exit 42 1.7 Conclusion 48 1 Diaspora Activism and the Dynamics of Voice 50 1.1 The Transnational Turn in Mobilization and Migration Studies 51 1.2 Exit and Voice: Unpacked 53 1.3 Deterrents to Voice after Exit 54 1.3.1 Transnational Repression 55 1.3.2 Conflict Transmission 57 1.4 How Quotidian Disruptions Facilitate Voice 58 1.5 When Diaspora Movements Make a Difference 59 1.5.1 Resource Conversion 60 1.5.2 Geopolitical Support 61 1.6 Conclusion 62 2 Exit from Authoritarianism 64 2.1 Libya: From Colony to Nation 67 2.2 Exiting Gaddafi's Jamahiriyya 68 2.3 Libyan Socializing and Empowerment Initiatives 74 2.4 The Rise of the Assad Regime 75 2.5 Escape from the Cult of Assad 78 2.6 Syrian Socialization and Empowerment Organizing 82 2.7 The Two Yemens Become One 82 2.8 Yemeni Emigration History and Political Activism 84 2.9 Yemeni Socialization and Empowerment Organizing 88 2.10 Conclusion 90 3 Silenced and Split 91 3.1 Transnational Repression 92 3.1.1 Fear and Fragmentation 96 3.1.2 Muted Voice 99 3.1.3 Weak Threats from the Yemeni Regime Abroad 103 3.2 Conflict Transmission 104 3.2.1 Factionalism during Libya's Era of ''Reform'' 104 3.2.2 Syrian Divisions 106 3.2.3 Yemeni Divisions 107 3.3 Conclusion 112 4 Coming Out and Coming Together 113 4.1 The Breakdown (and Persistence) of Transnational Repression 116 4.1.1 The Libyan Case: The Implosion of Regime Control and the Diaspora's Coming Out 116 4.1.2 The Syrian Case: Persistent Fears of Transnational Repression and Guarded Advocacy 121 4.1.3 Syrians' Gradual Coming Out and Risk-Taking Strategies 125 4.1.4 The Yemeni Case: Regime Repression's Effect on Public Mobilization 129 4.2 The Breakdown (and Resurgence) of Conflict Transmission 132 4.2.1 The Libyan Revolution and Diaspora Solidarity 132 4.2.2 The Syrian Revolution and the Diaspora's Gradual Coming Together 137 4.2.3 The Resurgence of Conflict Transmission in the Syrian Diaspora 141 4.2.4 The Yemeni Revolution and the Resurgence of Conflict Transmission 146 4.2.5 Contestation over Preexisting Yemeni Groups and Organizations 151 4.3 Conclusion 156 5 Voice for Rebellion and Relief 158 5.1 Broadcasting 159 5.1.1 Disseminating Facts and Movement Claims 160 5.1.2 Holding Demonstrations and Protests 163 5.2 Representing 168 5.2.1 Lobbying outside Powers 168 5.2.2 Joining Revolutionary Groups and Cadres 173 5.3 Brokering 175 5.3.1 Brokering between Revolutionaries and Geopolitical Actors 175 5.3.2 Brokering between Allies on the Ground 179 5.4 Remitting 180 5.5 Volunteering on the Ground 184 5.6 Variation in Diaspora Interventions 189 5.7 Conclusion 192 6 Converting Resources to the Cause 194 6.1 The Conversion of Cross-Border Networks 195 6.1.1 The Conversion and Expansion of Libyans' and Syrians' Cross-Border Ties 195 6.1.2 The Decimation of Syrians' Network Ties over Time 198 6.1.3 Yemenis' Shortage of Cross-Border Ties to Arab Spring Participants 201 6.2 The Conversion of Capital: Fungible Resources, Material Aid, and Social Capital 203 6.2.1 Libyans' Capital Conversion: Sufficient over Time 203 6.2.2 Syrians' Capital Conversion: From Sufficient to Insufficient 208 6.2.3 From Resource Shortages to Professionalization 212 6.2.4 Yemeni Challenges to Converting Material and Fungible Aid to the Revolution 217 6.3 Conclusion 220 7 Gaining Geopolitical Support 222 7.1 Strong Geopolitical Support for the Libyan Revolution 225 7.2 From Varied to Weak Geopolitical Support for the Syrian Arab Spring 230 7.3 Weak Geopolitical Support for the Yemeni Revolution over Time 238 7.4 Conclusion 242 Conclusion 243 The Value of a Transnational Perspective of Contentious Politics 245 Quotidian Disruptions beyond Revolution 247 Broadening Our View of Diaspora and Immigrant Voice 250 Methodological Appendix 255 References 259 Academic Sources, Research Reports, and Nonfiction 259 Documentary Films 279 Media Articles and Websites 280 Index 283 "The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has long fascinated Western observers, more often than not out of a sense of misguided curiosity. Owing to imperialism, Orientalism, and enduring stereotypes, commentary has revolved around a central query: Why is the region and its people so "backward"? The social sciences have remained focused on this question, albeit in a modified form, since the fall of the Soviet Union (Bayat 2013; Munif 2020). As researchers looked optimistically to a post-1989 future that appeared to be liberalizing, they asked why the wave of democracy sweeping the formerly colonized world had bypassed the MENA region. The answer provided, in one form or another, was that regimes led by autocrats, kings, and presidents-for-life were too powerful and the people too weak-too loyal, apathetic, divided, and tribal-to mount a credible challenge to authoritarian rule"-- Provided by publisher Diasporas can undermine authoritarian regimes from abroad, but when and how do they become transnational forces for change? By comparing diaspora activism for the Arab Spring revolutions, this book identifies the social forces that make diaspora activism a powerful tool for rebellion and relief.