Cornell University
Shirley Le Penne is a Ph.D. candidate in political theory (government) at Cornell University. She studies the politics of hope and despair, social movements, and the experiences of incarceration.
One state, One people – One Secularism? Understanding Secularism in Tunisia with Saba Mahmood’s Religious Difference in a Secular Age
The Arab Spring marked the return of secularism in Tunisia’s public discourse. However, the revolution resulted in the election of the Islamic party Ennahda. Was the latter’s ascendance for the better or the worst? I use Mahmood’s theory to claim that her analysis may fit, but also be challenged by, the Tunisian case.
Sessions
Sifting the Future of the Arab Spring in Tunisia