The Quest for Liberal Democracy in Egypt and Syria

Dr. Line Khatib is a fellow at the Center for Syrian Studies, the University of St Andrews. She was previously Associate Professor of Political Science at the American University of Sharjah. Her research and teaching interests lie within the fields of religion and politics, democratic transitions, and authoritarianism in the Arab World. She is the author of Islamic Revivalism in Syria: The Rise and Fall of Syrian Secularism (2012) and has published many book chapters and articles in Syria Studies, the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, and the Middle East Journal. Her forthcoming book is an examination of ten pivotal moments in the history of Damascus, shedding light on the city's enduring significance.

It has often been assumed that the politics of the Arab-speaking world is dominated, and will continue to be dominated, by orthodox Islamic thought and authoritarian politics. Challenging these assumptions, Line Khatib explores the modern liberal democratic movement in the region, examining its activists and intellectuals, their work, and the strengths and weaknesses of the movement as a whole.