Grant Reeher speaks with Juan Cole, the Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan, and the author of the acclaimed blog Informed Comment.

Juan Cole is the Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan, and the author of the acclaimed blog Informed Comment.  He’s also a much sought after public commentator on Middle Eastern affairs.  In this interview he provides a deeper historical context for understanding the Arab Spring.  He discusses how the movements have both demonstrated and helped to foster a greater public role for women, and why they happened when they did—in terms of political development, decay, and corruption, and the effect of cascades and tipping points.  He also describes how the movements are in part statements of nationalism as well as protests against corrupt leadership and calls for democracy, and why Iraq won’t be a model for them going forward.  Finally, he argues that the movements are not likely to open up new avenues of influence for extremists, and explains why he’s relatively optimistic about region’s future political prospects.