Review of “Winds of democratic change in the Mediterranean? Actors, processes and possible outcomes”

Two years after the beginning of the so-called Arab Spring it is still difficult to evaluate if and how democracy has taken ground in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The unfolding of events in Tunisia, Egypt, or Libya tell different stories, none of which has a clear conclusion. This aricle reviews the book: Winds of democratic change in the Mediterranean? Actors, processes and possible outcomes, edited by Stefania Panebianco and Rosa Rossi, Soveria Mannelli, Rubbettino, 2012, 382 pp., E16 (paperback) - ISBN 9788849831832. The book provides a rich overview of the processes, actors, and possible outcomes of democratic transitions in the MENA region. The title of the book purposefully evocates the idea that the undergoing changes are subject to a plurality of challenges that might bring completely different outcomes: several winds blow in the sky of politics and society in the Middle East