The Mediterranean Microcosm in the Broader Relationship Between the West and the Arab-Muslim World - A study project

The project analyses the nature of societal change in the western Mediterranean region (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia) and its likely impact on transatlantic relations. The project, which started in the second half of 2010, is being conducted by IAI in cooperation with the Center for the US and Europe of the Brookings Institution, in Washington and the Robert Schuman Centre of the European University Institute (EUI), in Florence.

The first part of the project addressed societal change, taking into account the following five dimensions: demographic differentials and immigration-related issues, the changing role of women in society, the proliferation of new means of communication and information, the role of religion and values, and small- and medium-size entrepreneurship as factors of change.
A seminar was held at the Robert Schuman Centre in Fiesole on February 25-26, 2011, to discuss the draft papers produced in the first part of the project.

The second part of the project assessed the impact of these societal changes on the international relations between the US, Europe and the Western Mediterranean.
The final conference of the project was held on 3-4 November, 2011, in Paris. During this meeting the papers of the second part of the project were presented and discussed.

All the contributions to the project have been published in:
Cesare Merlini and Olivier Roy (eds), Arab Society in Revolt. The West's Mediterranean Challenge, Washington, Brookings Institution Press, July 2012, ISBN 978-0-8157-2396-7; 978-0-8157-2397-4 (ebk)