This volume offers a critical examination of how counterterrorism measures influence democratic p... more This volume offers a critical examination of how counterterrorism measures influence democratic processes, with a specific focus on the case study of post-2011 Tunisia. More concretely, it assesses the effects of counterterrorist discourses and practices on the democratic transition initiated after the Dignity Revolution of 2010-2011. Tunisia has been the only Arab country to experience a structured democratic transition after the Arab uprisings. However, the measures taken to counter the rise of salafi jihadism in the country strongly marked the transitional process. This research analyses the detrimental impact of counterterrorism on Tunisian political transition and democratic consolidation. It highlights human rights violations and their legitimization, the strengthening of repressive mechanisms, the enactment of liberticidal laws, the normalization of exceptional governance, and the constriction of public space, while also detailing its negative effects on the state's economy.The book posits that the counterterrorism rhetoric and policies have played a significant role in facilitating the democratic backsliding witnessed in Tunisia beginning in 2021. The research adopts a discursive-ethnographic approach that integrates critical analysis of presidential and parliamentary discourse with extensive fieldwork among institutional and associative actors in Tunisia. The volume represents the first comprehensive and holistic assessment of counterterrorism discourses and policies implemented in post-2011 Tunisia, highlighting their progressive impact on democratic transition.
This article seeks to critically examine how gender influences the interpretation and representat... more This article seeks to critically examine how gender influences the interpretation and representation of women’s violence within the Tunisian public discourse. Far from being gender-neutral, the counterterrorism discourse perpetuates entrenched patriarchal hierarchies, amplifying imbalanced power dynamics within society. The study, utilizing tools from feminist critical discourse analysis, aims to shed light on how female involvement is depicted in public discussions on terrorism in Tunisia, and how this affects counterterrorism strategies and preventive measures in the post-revolutionary setting. This is achieved primarily by scrutinizing the discourse of jihād al-nikāh, ̣ and by exploring women’s roles in programmes aimed at preventing violent extremism (PVE). Emphasis is given to the depiction of women as mothers – viewed negatively when embracing political violence and positively when engaging in extremism prevention initiatives. While one narrative often paints women merely as victims or brainwashed entities, the PVE policies acknowledge women’s agency but instrumentalize it for security-oriented objectives.
Encountering extremism Theoretical issues and local challenges Edited by Alice Martini, Kieran Ford and Richard Jackson, 2020
This chapter aims at offering an overview of the discourse of international
donors funding preven... more This chapter aims at offering an overview of the discourse of international donors funding preventing violent extremism (PVE) programmes in Tunisia. Starting from 2016, a multitude of PVE initiatives have been funded by international donors in the field of cooperation for development. Tunisian youth have been the target of such initiatives together with women being the first beneficiaries of these projects. However, the donors’ discourse contributes to the tendency of the securitisation of youth in the Southern Mediterranean, intersecting with the broader context of the securitization of developmental aid. Moreover, the involvement of women in PVE programs raises important questions about their instrumentalization in PVE practices, aside from the fact that the donors’ discourse also reflects a general essentialisation of the female role within families and communities. Furthermore, the chapter will address the question of the donors’ problematic understanding of notions such as peace, social cohesion and inclusion that results in boosting the status-quo and is aimed at maintaining the existing relations of power. Finally, the chapter will explore some of the implications of seeing the issue of VE as a territorialised problem in marginalised and disenfranchised areas of the country.
Observatory to Prevent Extremist Violence - International Institute of Non Violent Action , 2020
Violations of rights and freedoms in the fight against terrorism in Tunisia. A human rights and g... more Violations of rights and freedoms in the fight against terrorism in Tunisia. A human rights and gender perspective.
Ocho anos despues de la revolucion de la dignidad en Tunez, el debate sobre libertades individual... more Ocho anos despues de la revolucion de la dignidad en Tunez, el debate sobre libertades individuales, derechos de las minorias sociales, raciales o sexuales siguen siendo al orden del dia. Los espacios que se abrieron a partir de 2011 permitieron abordar la cuestion de genero y del acceso a la cultura por parte de mujeres desde numerosas perspectivas, entre las cuales aquella del activismo audiovisual. La asociacion Chouf Minorities es una organizacion feminista intersexual tunecina que aboga por los derechos corporales y sexuales de las mujeres nacidas y/o que se identifican como tales.
This article aims to shed light on the plural form of resistance performed around the South-Easte... more This article aims to shed light on the plural form of resistance performed around the South-Eastern Tunisian border area through the case study of the ordinary people of Ben Guerdane’s resistance to the jihadi attack of 7th March 2016. Placing the so-called “epopee of Ben Guerdane” in a broader historical context, it seeks to explore the fluctuations between resistance and repression along the border area both in the past and in the present, showing how multifaceted the repertoire of resistance – which includes anti-colonial struggle, guerrilla action, regime opposition, subversions, forms of everyday resistance and jihadi insurrection – has been. Following the insight of Critical Border Studies, the border will be considered as an epistemological viewpoint rather than simply a geopolitical device, considering the central role of material and symbolic borders and boundaries that shape the living experiences of Ben Guerdane’s inhabitants. The article relies on qualitative data collec...
L’equilibrio tra sicurezza e libertà si trova spesso al centro del
dibattito sulle politiche di p... more L’equilibrio tra sicurezza e libertà si trova spesso al centro del dibattito sulle politiche di prevenzione e di repressione del terrorismo. La questione della risposta alla violenza terrorista rappresenta attualmente un tema centrale nell’agenda politica e sociale della giovane democrazia tunisina, impegnata in un dibattito sul rispetto delle libertà civili e politiche nell’applicazione di misure antiterroriste nel paese. Questo contributo vuole interrogarsi sul complesso equilibrio che si crea tra sicurezza, conflitto sociale e partecipazione nel contesto della lotta al terrorismo nella Tunisia post-rivoluzionaria.
Ocho años después de la revolución de la dignidad en Túnez, los debates sobre libertades individu... more Ocho años después de la revolución de la dignidad en Túnez, los debates sobre libertades individuales, derechos de las minorías sociales, raciales o sexuales siguen siendo al orden del día. Los espacios que se abrieron a partir de 2011 permitieron abordar la cuestión de genero y del acceso a la cultura por parte de mujeres desde numerosas perspectivas, entre las cuales aquella del activismo audiovisual. La asociación Chouf Minorities es una organización feminista intersexual tunecina que aboga por los derechos corporales y sexuales de las mujeres nacidas y/o que se identifican como tales. Chouf organiza desde 2015 el festival internacional de artes feministas, "Chouftouhonna" (en árabe "las he visto"), que reúne artistas, activistas, y estudiosas procedentes de diferentes países en el barrio popular de Halfaouine, en el centro de la ciudad de Túnez. El festival representa actualmente una de las realidades artísticas de activismo más destacada del sur del Mediterráneo, que gracias a su perspectiva internacional logra hacer de puente entre una pluralidad de realidades feministas del norte y sur global. A través de una entrevista a Alessia Ubaldini, activista y organizadora de Chouftouhonna, queremos abordar el tema de la relación entre arte, activismo político y cambio social en el Túnez post-2011. Queremos igualmente explorar los cambios en la trayectoria feminista tunecina, descubriendo el lugar cada vez más importante del feminismo interseccional y inclusivo en el contexto de la transición democrática. Con esta ventana social queremos también cuestionar las condiciones de acceso al arte, la cultura y el espacio publico urbano, mostrando ejemplos inspiradores de prácticas feministas innovadoras.
Este número tiene como objetivo desafiar los
enfoques y los planteamientos reduccionistas que se ... more Este número tiene como objetivo desafiar los enfoques y los planteamientos reduccionistas que se esconden detrás de la cada vez más empleada categoría “MENA”. El número quiere explorar la pluralidad y la complexidad de experiencias que se producen en esta área geográfico, sus transformaciones o continuidades sociopolíticas, las dinámicas de poder que en ella se producen y que se le imponen. Siguiendo enfoques innovadores dentro de las Relaciones Internacionales y perspectivas inspiradas a otras disciplinas, con este número queremos evidenciar cómo es posible acercarse a la llamada región “MENA” de una manera diferente de la que se interpreta desde los estudios “ortodoxos” y tradicionales. Asimismo, queremos sumarnos a aquel movimiento de estudiosas y estudiosos que en esta línea proponen un estudio crítico y problematizado de la llamada región “MENA”. El número se propone, por lo tanto, dar voz a aquellos autores y aquellas autoras que se acerquen al estudio de esta área geográfica desde diferentes perspectivas en un intento de abrir un espacio de reflexión que deconstruya esta mirada excepcionalista hacia la región.
Call for Papers:
As part of the 2019 annual conference organised by the Italian Political Science... more Call for Papers: As part of the 2019 annual conference organised by the Italian Political Science Association (SISP), there will be a panel titled 'Violent Extremism in the Mediterranean: a critical approach'. The conference will be held in Lecce at the University of Salento from the 12th to the 14th of September. If you're interested, please read our call and send us an abstract through the SISP website (https://www.sisp.it/my-sisp). The deadline is on the 19th of May.
This volume offers a critical examination of how counterterrorism measures influence democratic p... more This volume offers a critical examination of how counterterrorism measures influence democratic processes, with a specific focus on the case study of post-2011 Tunisia. More concretely, it assesses the effects of counterterrorist discourses and practices on the democratic transition initiated after the Dignity Revolution of 2010-2011. Tunisia has been the only Arab country to experience a structured democratic transition after the Arab uprisings. However, the measures taken to counter the rise of salafi jihadism in the country strongly marked the transitional process. This research analyses the detrimental impact of counterterrorism on Tunisian political transition and democratic consolidation. It highlights human rights violations and their legitimization, the strengthening of repressive mechanisms, the enactment of liberticidal laws, the normalization of exceptional governance, and the constriction of public space, while also detailing its negative effects on the state's economy.The book posits that the counterterrorism rhetoric and policies have played a significant role in facilitating the democratic backsliding witnessed in Tunisia beginning in 2021. The research adopts a discursive-ethnographic approach that integrates critical analysis of presidential and parliamentary discourse with extensive fieldwork among institutional and associative actors in Tunisia. The volume represents the first comprehensive and holistic assessment of counterterrorism discourses and policies implemented in post-2011 Tunisia, highlighting their progressive impact on democratic transition.
This article seeks to critically examine how gender influences the interpretation and representat... more This article seeks to critically examine how gender influences the interpretation and representation of women’s violence within the Tunisian public discourse. Far from being gender-neutral, the counterterrorism discourse perpetuates entrenched patriarchal hierarchies, amplifying imbalanced power dynamics within society. The study, utilizing tools from feminist critical discourse analysis, aims to shed light on how female involvement is depicted in public discussions on terrorism in Tunisia, and how this affects counterterrorism strategies and preventive measures in the post-revolutionary setting. This is achieved primarily by scrutinizing the discourse of jihād al-nikāh, ̣ and by exploring women’s roles in programmes aimed at preventing violent extremism (PVE). Emphasis is given to the depiction of women as mothers – viewed negatively when embracing political violence and positively when engaging in extremism prevention initiatives. While one narrative often paints women merely as victims or brainwashed entities, the PVE policies acknowledge women’s agency but instrumentalize it for security-oriented objectives.
Encountering extremism Theoretical issues and local challenges Edited by Alice Martini, Kieran Ford and Richard Jackson, 2020
This chapter aims at offering an overview of the discourse of international
donors funding preven... more This chapter aims at offering an overview of the discourse of international donors funding preventing violent extremism (PVE) programmes in Tunisia. Starting from 2016, a multitude of PVE initiatives have been funded by international donors in the field of cooperation for development. Tunisian youth have been the target of such initiatives together with women being the first beneficiaries of these projects. However, the donors’ discourse contributes to the tendency of the securitisation of youth in the Southern Mediterranean, intersecting with the broader context of the securitization of developmental aid. Moreover, the involvement of women in PVE programs raises important questions about their instrumentalization in PVE practices, aside from the fact that the donors’ discourse also reflects a general essentialisation of the female role within families and communities. Furthermore, the chapter will address the question of the donors’ problematic understanding of notions such as peace, social cohesion and inclusion that results in boosting the status-quo and is aimed at maintaining the existing relations of power. Finally, the chapter will explore some of the implications of seeing the issue of VE as a territorialised problem in marginalised and disenfranchised areas of the country.
Observatory to Prevent Extremist Violence - International Institute of Non Violent Action , 2020
Violations of rights and freedoms in the fight against terrorism in Tunisia. A human rights and g... more Violations of rights and freedoms in the fight against terrorism in Tunisia. A human rights and gender perspective.
Ocho anos despues de la revolucion de la dignidad en Tunez, el debate sobre libertades individual... more Ocho anos despues de la revolucion de la dignidad en Tunez, el debate sobre libertades individuales, derechos de las minorias sociales, raciales o sexuales siguen siendo al orden del dia. Los espacios que se abrieron a partir de 2011 permitieron abordar la cuestion de genero y del acceso a la cultura por parte de mujeres desde numerosas perspectivas, entre las cuales aquella del activismo audiovisual. La asociacion Chouf Minorities es una organizacion feminista intersexual tunecina que aboga por los derechos corporales y sexuales de las mujeres nacidas y/o que se identifican como tales.
This article aims to shed light on the plural form of resistance performed around the South-Easte... more This article aims to shed light on the plural form of resistance performed around the South-Eastern Tunisian border area through the case study of the ordinary people of Ben Guerdane’s resistance to the jihadi attack of 7th March 2016. Placing the so-called “epopee of Ben Guerdane” in a broader historical context, it seeks to explore the fluctuations between resistance and repression along the border area both in the past and in the present, showing how multifaceted the repertoire of resistance – which includes anti-colonial struggle, guerrilla action, regime opposition, subversions, forms of everyday resistance and jihadi insurrection – has been. Following the insight of Critical Border Studies, the border will be considered as an epistemological viewpoint rather than simply a geopolitical device, considering the central role of material and symbolic borders and boundaries that shape the living experiences of Ben Guerdane’s inhabitants. The article relies on qualitative data collec...
L’equilibrio tra sicurezza e libertà si trova spesso al centro del
dibattito sulle politiche di p... more L’equilibrio tra sicurezza e libertà si trova spesso al centro del dibattito sulle politiche di prevenzione e di repressione del terrorismo. La questione della risposta alla violenza terrorista rappresenta attualmente un tema centrale nell’agenda politica e sociale della giovane democrazia tunisina, impegnata in un dibattito sul rispetto delle libertà civili e politiche nell’applicazione di misure antiterroriste nel paese. Questo contributo vuole interrogarsi sul complesso equilibrio che si crea tra sicurezza, conflitto sociale e partecipazione nel contesto della lotta al terrorismo nella Tunisia post-rivoluzionaria.
Ocho años después de la revolución de la dignidad en Túnez, los debates sobre libertades individu... more Ocho años después de la revolución de la dignidad en Túnez, los debates sobre libertades individuales, derechos de las minorías sociales, raciales o sexuales siguen siendo al orden del día. Los espacios que se abrieron a partir de 2011 permitieron abordar la cuestión de genero y del acceso a la cultura por parte de mujeres desde numerosas perspectivas, entre las cuales aquella del activismo audiovisual. La asociación Chouf Minorities es una organización feminista intersexual tunecina que aboga por los derechos corporales y sexuales de las mujeres nacidas y/o que se identifican como tales. Chouf organiza desde 2015 el festival internacional de artes feministas, "Chouftouhonna" (en árabe "las he visto"), que reúne artistas, activistas, y estudiosas procedentes de diferentes países en el barrio popular de Halfaouine, en el centro de la ciudad de Túnez. El festival representa actualmente una de las realidades artísticas de activismo más destacada del sur del Mediterráneo, que gracias a su perspectiva internacional logra hacer de puente entre una pluralidad de realidades feministas del norte y sur global. A través de una entrevista a Alessia Ubaldini, activista y organizadora de Chouftouhonna, queremos abordar el tema de la relación entre arte, activismo político y cambio social en el Túnez post-2011. Queremos igualmente explorar los cambios en la trayectoria feminista tunecina, descubriendo el lugar cada vez más importante del feminismo interseccional y inclusivo en el contexto de la transición democrática. Con esta ventana social queremos también cuestionar las condiciones de acceso al arte, la cultura y el espacio publico urbano, mostrando ejemplos inspiradores de prácticas feministas innovadoras.
Este número tiene como objetivo desafiar los
enfoques y los planteamientos reduccionistas que se ... more Este número tiene como objetivo desafiar los enfoques y los planteamientos reduccionistas que se esconden detrás de la cada vez más empleada categoría “MENA”. El número quiere explorar la pluralidad y la complexidad de experiencias que se producen en esta área geográfico, sus transformaciones o continuidades sociopolíticas, las dinámicas de poder que en ella se producen y que se le imponen. Siguiendo enfoques innovadores dentro de las Relaciones Internacionales y perspectivas inspiradas a otras disciplinas, con este número queremos evidenciar cómo es posible acercarse a la llamada región “MENA” de una manera diferente de la que se interpreta desde los estudios “ortodoxos” y tradicionales. Asimismo, queremos sumarnos a aquel movimiento de estudiosas y estudiosos que en esta línea proponen un estudio crítico y problematizado de la llamada región “MENA”. El número se propone, por lo tanto, dar voz a aquellos autores y aquellas autoras que se acerquen al estudio de esta área geográfica desde diferentes perspectivas en un intento de abrir un espacio de reflexión que deconstruya esta mirada excepcionalista hacia la región.
Call for Papers:
As part of the 2019 annual conference organised by the Italian Political Science... more Call for Papers: As part of the 2019 annual conference organised by the Italian Political Science Association (SISP), there will be a panel titled 'Violent Extremism in the Mediterranean: a critical approach'. The conference will be held in Lecce at the University of Salento from the 12th to the 14th of September. If you're interested, please read our call and send us an abstract through the SISP website (https://www.sisp.it/my-sisp). The deadline is on the 19th of May.
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donors funding preventing violent extremism (PVE) programmes in Tunisia. Starting from 2016, a multitude of PVE initiatives have been funded by international donors in the field of cooperation for development. Tunisian youth have been the target of such initiatives together with women being the first beneficiaries of these projects. However, the donors’ discourse contributes to the tendency of the securitisation of youth in the Southern Mediterranean, intersecting with the broader context of the securitization of developmental aid. Moreover, the involvement of women in PVE programs raises important questions about their instrumentalization in PVE practices, aside from the fact that the donors’ discourse also reflects a general essentialisation of the female role within families and communities. Furthermore, the chapter will address the question of the donors’ problematic understanding of notions such as peace, social cohesion and inclusion that results in boosting the status-quo and is aimed at maintaining the existing relations of power. Finally, the chapter will explore some of the implications of seeing the issue of VE as a territorialised problem in marginalised and disenfranchised areas of the country.
dibattito sulle politiche di prevenzione e di repressione del terrorismo.
La questione della risposta alla violenza terrorista rappresenta
attualmente un tema centrale nell’agenda politica e sociale della
giovane democrazia tunisina, impegnata in un dibattito sul rispetto
delle libertà civili e politiche nell’applicazione di misure antiterroriste
nel paese. Questo contributo vuole interrogarsi sul complesso
equilibrio che si crea tra sicurezza, conflitto sociale e partecipazione
nel contesto della lotta al terrorismo nella Tunisia post-rivoluzionaria.
enfoques y los planteamientos reduccionistas que se esconden detrás de la cada vez más empleada categoría “MENA”. El número quiere explorar la pluralidad y la complexidad de experiencias que se producen en esta área geográfico, sus transformaciones o continuidades sociopolíticas, las dinámicas de poder que en ella se producen y que se le imponen. Siguiendo enfoques innovadores dentro de las Relaciones Internacionales y perspectivas inspiradas a otras disciplinas, con este número queremos evidenciar cómo es posible acercarse a la llamada región “MENA” de una
manera diferente de la que se interpreta desde los estudios “ortodoxos” y tradicionales. Asimismo, queremos sumarnos a aquel movimiento de estudiosas y estudiosos que en esta línea proponen un estudio crítico y problematizado de la llamada región “MENA”. El número se propone, por lo tanto, dar voz a aquellos autores y aquellas autoras que se acerquen al estudio de esta área geográfica desde diferentes perspectivas en un intento de abrir un espacio de reflexión que deconstruya esta mirada excepcionalista hacia la región.
As part of the 2019 annual conference organised by the Italian Political Science Association (SISP), there will be a panel titled 'Violent Extremism in the Mediterranean: a critical approach'.
The conference will be held in Lecce at the University of Salento from the 12th to the 14th of September.
If you're interested, please read our call and send us an abstract through the SISP website (https://www.sisp.it/my-sisp). The deadline is on the 19th of May.
donors funding preventing violent extremism (PVE) programmes in Tunisia. Starting from 2016, a multitude of PVE initiatives have been funded by international donors in the field of cooperation for development. Tunisian youth have been the target of such initiatives together with women being the first beneficiaries of these projects. However, the donors’ discourse contributes to the tendency of the securitisation of youth in the Southern Mediterranean, intersecting with the broader context of the securitization of developmental aid. Moreover, the involvement of women in PVE programs raises important questions about their instrumentalization in PVE practices, aside from the fact that the donors’ discourse also reflects a general essentialisation of the female role within families and communities. Furthermore, the chapter will address the question of the donors’ problematic understanding of notions such as peace, social cohesion and inclusion that results in boosting the status-quo and is aimed at maintaining the existing relations of power. Finally, the chapter will explore some of the implications of seeing the issue of VE as a territorialised problem in marginalised and disenfranchised areas of the country.
dibattito sulle politiche di prevenzione e di repressione del terrorismo.
La questione della risposta alla violenza terrorista rappresenta
attualmente un tema centrale nell’agenda politica e sociale della
giovane democrazia tunisina, impegnata in un dibattito sul rispetto
delle libertà civili e politiche nell’applicazione di misure antiterroriste
nel paese. Questo contributo vuole interrogarsi sul complesso
equilibrio che si crea tra sicurezza, conflitto sociale e partecipazione
nel contesto della lotta al terrorismo nella Tunisia post-rivoluzionaria.
enfoques y los planteamientos reduccionistas que se esconden detrás de la cada vez más empleada categoría “MENA”. El número quiere explorar la pluralidad y la complexidad de experiencias que se producen en esta área geográfico, sus transformaciones o continuidades sociopolíticas, las dinámicas de poder que en ella se producen y que se le imponen. Siguiendo enfoques innovadores dentro de las Relaciones Internacionales y perspectivas inspiradas a otras disciplinas, con este número queremos evidenciar cómo es posible acercarse a la llamada región “MENA” de una
manera diferente de la que se interpreta desde los estudios “ortodoxos” y tradicionales. Asimismo, queremos sumarnos a aquel movimiento de estudiosas y estudiosos que en esta línea proponen un estudio crítico y problematizado de la llamada región “MENA”. El número se propone, por lo tanto, dar voz a aquellos autores y aquellas autoras que se acerquen al estudio de esta área geográfica desde diferentes perspectivas en un intento de abrir un espacio de reflexión que deconstruya esta mirada excepcionalista hacia la región.
As part of the 2019 annual conference organised by the Italian Political Science Association (SISP), there will be a panel titled 'Violent Extremism in the Mediterranean: a critical approach'.
The conference will be held in Lecce at the University of Salento from the 12th to the 14th of September.
If you're interested, please read our call and send us an abstract through the SISP website (https://www.sisp.it/my-sisp). The deadline is on the 19th of May.