A Historical Sociology Perspective on the Legacy of State Formation and Dynamics of the Arab Spring in Libya: From Elusive Authority of Qadhafi to Masses Craving for Democracy

This study aims to question the appropriateness of ‘transition to democracy’ paradigm in the Arab Spring context with a specific focus on Libya. Arguing that the real problematique lies at the meta-theoretical level, the assumptions and the empirical incongruities of democratisation and post-democratisation perspectives will be elaborated on. With a historical and social minded analysis, the political developments in Libya will be approached with a historical sociology perspective complemented with political economy of regime security. The interaction within the state-society complex in the framework of complex relationship with regional/international level dynamics will be given a specific focus and unlike deterministic-teleological and reductionist democratization/post-democratization perspectives, the answer for the question ‘what happened politically in Libya during the Arab Spring’ will be searched.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Historical Sociology, democratisation, post-democratisation, authoritarianism, Arab Spring, Libya

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