Publication

This paper provides an overview of the academic literature on the role of civil society in democracy building and democratic transition processes. The paper then discusses the role and function of civil society in the Arab world and its evolution since the outset of the Arab Spring revolutions. This is followed by an overview of European and Finnish donor strategies for engaging civil society in the Arab world. Based on these, the paper draws up a broad set of recommendations on how to adjust donor engagement to the changing realities in the Middle East.