ABSTRACT
As the events in Libya and Tunisia are unfolding in two diametrically different directions, a closer look at the dynamics swinging the civil society organizations in these two countries shows that the underlying factors are not strictly related to the longer (as in Tunisia) or more recent (as in Libya) age of these organizations. The chapter describes the different dynamics and attributes of the civil society sectors in both countries, as well as the contextual factors that enhanced (in the case of Tunisia) or hindered (in the case of Libya) the civil society organizations in each of the two countries to play a stabilizing role in the aftermath of the regime change. Moreover, the chapter sheds light on additional parameters for the civil society sector to better form and represent their constituencies and hence aim for a better impact and effectiveness.
