Contribution to Book
“Mother of the Revolution”: Tawakkol Karman and Nonviolent Mobilization in Yemen
Women and Nonviolence
(2021)
Abstract
The rise of social and revolutionary political action in the 2011 Arab Spring has produced several movements that have transformed the political and social realities of the Arab world. One movement leader that has had a lasting impact on Arab politics and society is the first Arab women Nobel Laureate, Tawakkol Karman. Known as the “Mother of the Revolution” in Yemen, Karman led the non-violent movement “Women Journalists Without Chains” that not only challenged President Saleh’s authoritarian regime through non-violent protests but also produced new frames surrounding the role of women as agents of change in Yemeni society. Her non-violent protests which called for protesters to “carry roses, not guns” were eventually successful in ousting President Saleh from power. This paper will explore Tawakkol Karman’s non-violent struggle against the dictatorship of President Saleh in Yemen in the height of the Arab Spring. Then, discuss the significance of Karman’s non-violent philosophy in producing new ideological frames surrounding non-violent movement mobilization, religious politics, and gender and identity in the Middle East. Finally, the paper will address the enduring legacy of Tawakkol Karman’s work on the future of non-violence and political action in Yemen and the broader Middle East.
Disciplines
Publication Date
May, 2021
Publisher
Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Citation Information
Anwar Ouassini and Nabil Ouassini. "“Mother of the Revolution”: Tawakkol Karman and Nonviolent Mobilization in Yemen" Women and Nonviolence (2021) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/nabil-ouassini/11/