Chams Eddine Zaougui

Speaker
Dutch
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Who is Chams Eddine Zaougui?

Chams Eddine Zaougui followed Arabic studies in Ghent and Cairo. He uses incisive insights and clear prose to analyse political life in the Arab world in his revealing book, Dictators. Een Arabische geschiedenis (Dictators. An Arabian history), he meticulously unravels how power-hungry despots shaped the Middle East into what it is today. His fascinating essays, which always avoid clichés and parochialism, can be read in De Standaard, Knack, NRC Handelsblad, de Volkskrant, De Groene Amsterdammer and The New York Times. Chams Eddine Zaougui is a prominent writer, who always fascinates his audience with sharp insights and striking analyses.

  • Dictators: een Arabische geschiedenis (Dictators: an Arabian history)

    Since the Arab Spring in 2011, things have gone from bad to worse in the region. Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen have become a hodgepodge of warring factions. Much like a stubborn tumour, militant jihadism has gained a foothold in the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have died and millions of people are seeking refuge. This is something that Arab dictators had warned about: there would be chaos without their hard-handed approach. Chams Eddine Zaougui refutes this claim. In fact, dictators have personally created a social and political minefield over the years, where democracy can have little chance of success. His story not only informs you about the deceptive methods of tyrannical Arab leaders, but also casts a revealing light on the timeless and universal phenomenon of dictatorship.

Chams presented a very clear argument about the process of revolutions against dictators in the Middle East. His oratory skills were of a very high standard and he managed to mesmerise the whole audience, despite the room being a little noisy.

Bart Berlee

Spectrum SP&C Wageningen

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For many years, I have appreciated Zaougui's views about evolutions in the Arab world. Via his book Dictators, he makes an essential contribution towards an understanding of what is happening in the region. It is an antidote against impulse statements like ‘I told you so’, and generalisations on ‘the Muslims’ and ‘the Arabs’. Recent history in the region can only be understood by knowing the broader context of revolutions, oppression and human behaviour.

Rudi Vranckx

Author and VRT journalist

Zaougui is one of the wisest people I know when it comes to really understanding what is happening in the Arab world.

David Van Reybrouck

Author and historian

Using gripping examples featuring normal people, Zaougui shows the lengths to which Arab dictators are prepared to go to retain power, and what this means for their subjects. If you read his book Dictators, you will not only understand why so many Arabs are rising up, but also why these uprisings fail.

Joris Luyendijk

Author and journalist

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