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Francesco Cavatorta is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at UniversitéLaval in Quebec, Canada. His current research project focuses on party politics in North Africa and the convergence between voters and parties’ manifestos. He recently published the co-authored textbook (with Vincent Durac) Politics and Governance in the Middle East with Palgrave.
The Rise and Fall of Uncivil Society? Salafism in Tunisia After the Fall of Ben Ali
In some ways, the arrival of illiberal movements on the public scene and their ability to propagate their message unhindered is ultimately beneficial to the political growth of society because liberals then have a clear target they can fight rather rely on authoritarianism to sweep problematic debates within society under the carpet through the use of repression. Up to a point, therefore, Salafism in Tunisia helped unify society through strengthening the political system.
