The Tunisian Democratic Transition in Comparative Perspective:
With Reflections on Indonesia, India, and Egypt

March 27-28, 2015

International Affairs Building, Room 1501
420 West 118th Street
Columbia University

This event is free and open to all.  Registration is not required.

Sponsored by the Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life and the Center for Democracy, Toleration, and Religion.  Co-sponsored by the Middle East Institute and the School for International and Public Policy.

Due to the recent tragedy at the Bardo museum in Tunisia, planned Keynote Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, Founder and President of Ennahdha, is engaged in intensive work in Tunisia and is unable to attend the conference.  He has written and submitted a paper, which will be delivered in his stead by Dr. Intissar Kherigi.

All other participants will be in attendance as planned.

Conference Schedule:

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

9:00am
Doors open for coffee, bagels, and registration

9:30-9:55am
Welcome and Introduction to Aims of the Conference and the Conference Volume

• Alfred Stepan, Columbia University

10:00-11:55am
Contrasts Between Islamic Led Parties in Tunisia and Egypt

• Monica Marks, St Antony’s College, Oxford – “Tunisia’s Ennahdha”
• Carrie Wickham, Emory University – “Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood”
• Discussant: Nader Hashemi, University of Denver

12:00-1:30pm
Keynote Address

• Rached Ghannouchi,  Founder and President of Ennahdha
  “Ennahdha’s  Democratic Commitments, Capabilities, and Practices: Major Evolutionary Moments and Choices”
  (Presented by Dr. Intissar Kherigi)

1:30-2:30pm
Break for lunch.   Panelists meet in room TBA.

2:30-4:00pm
Contrasting Patterns of Constitution-Making and Civil-Military Relations

• Nathan Brown, George Washington University – “The Roots of Egypt’s Constitutional Disaster: With Reflections on Tunisia”
• Hicham Bou Nassif, Carleton College – “Tunisia’s Transition to Democracy: The Role of the Military”
• Discussant: Donald Horowitz, Duke University

4:00-4:45pm
Tunisia: Labor Before and After the Fall of Ben Ali

• Laryssa Chomiak, Centre d’études maghrébines à Tunis – “Deliberative Resistance: Dissent and Democracy in Tunisia”
• Discussant: Daniel Brumberg, Co-Director of the Democracy and Governance Program and Associate Professor of Government at Georgetown University

5:00-6:45pm
National and International Support for Authoritarianism or Democracy

• Radwan Masmoudi, President, Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, Tunis and Washington DC – “Democratic and Non-Democratic International Support for Transitions in Tunisia and Egypt”
• Emad Shahin, American University in Cairo; Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington DC – “Egypt: Civil Society and International Support for Military Authoritarianism in Muslim Brotherhood Eradicationism”

7:00pm
Dinner for panelists.   Location TBA.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

9:00am
Doors open for coffee and bagels

9:30-10:45am
Theoretical, Comparative, and Political Perspectives

• Jeremy Menchik, Boston University – “Crafting Indonesia’s Religious Democracy: Inclusion-Moderation and the Sacralization of the Post-Colonial State”
• Discussant: Donald Horowitz, Duke University

10:45-12:45pm

• Sudipta Kaviraj, Columbia University – “India: Crafting a Democracy with the World’s Largest Muslim Minority Population”
• Discussant: Karen Barkey, Director, Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life, Columbia University

12:15-1:30pm
Break for Lunch.   Panelists meet in a room TBA.

1:30-2:25pm

• Alfred Stepan, Columbia University – “The Theory of Democratic Transitions: Tunisia in Comparative Perspective”
• Additional comments: Monica Marks, St.  Antony’s College, Oxford

2:30-4:00pm
Roundtable and Tentative Conclusions

Rached Ghannouchi (President, Ennahdha), Karen Barkey (Columbia University), Nader Hashemi (University of Denver), and Donald Horowitz (Duke University)

4:00-5:00pm
Closing reception in the 15^th floor Reception Hall.   Open to all.