ABSTRACT
On 17 December 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian man, set himself on fire after police confiscated his unlicensed cart and wares ( BBC News 2012). His death led to a series of revolts in Tunisia, but also in other areas of the Middle East. In January, protestors took control of Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. One of the main demands of the demonstrators was the resignation of President Mubarak. Initially the president refused to leave, but on 12 February 2011, after weeks of protest, he finally pulled back. Western media has extensively covered these events, generally described as the “Arab Spring.” The (supposed) roles of new media, women, and the Muslim Brotherhood have been especially important topics of discussion. Particularly after the election of the presidential candidate Muhammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, it was believed that Egypt would not get the positive changes it had been fighting for. 1
