Libya in the Arab Spring

This book sketches the discourse
about a new constitution in Libya since 2011. Applying a discourse analytical
approach, the author identifies societal cleavages that have come to the fore
in Libya’s transitional period. The debate has focused on democracy,
federalism, decentralisation and localisation, the role of religion, women in
politics as well as ethnic minorities. The strategies followed to ensure
representation in the constitutional process have included civil disobedience,
affirmative action and force. The effects of raising demands in these ways have
been changes in the constitutional process and institutional design of Libya’s
interim political institutions rather than promises that particular demands as
to the content of the constitution would be met. The general prevention of a
public discourse and competition along societal cleavages under Gaddafi’s
totalitarian ideology has resulted in an all-out resurgence of splits along
ethnic, regional and other lines.The work was awarded the Christoph Schumann
Memorial Prize of the University of Erlangen.