’Arab Spring and Ocupy Wall Street’ at Manipal Institute of Communication

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Manipal, 20 Feb 2013: Renowned scholar Prof Aijaz Ahmad, who was a professorial fellow at Centre of Contemporary Studies, New
Delhi, has said there was a close connection between the phenomenon of ’Arab Spring’ and ’Occupy Wall Street’ movement. In fact, ’Occupy Wall Street’ drew inspiration from the ’Arab Spring’.

 
Speaking on ’Arab Spring and Ocupy Wall Street’ at Manipal Institute of Communication (MIC) here on Monday, Prof Ahmad however did not agree with the usage of the ’Arab Spring’ saying that it was a media construction. However, it was an important phenomenon provoked by economic suicides. It was accelerated by the media and the activists of the ’Occupy Wall Street’ gave credit to the ’Arab Spring’ for their inspiration.

 
Talking about what happened in Arab world particularly in Tunisia, Egypt etc, the movement was also an effect of neo-liberal economics of the regimes there and Tehri Square became a major inspiration even for the movement against such policies in United States.

 
Expressing concern over the rise of fundamentalist Islam which may swallow up the rise of democracy, Prof Ahmad said, it was sad that the Left movement which was quite predominant in many so-called Islamic countries has suffered serious setback. He also noted there has been a shift from ’saving economy’ to ’spending economy’ inthe world. MIC Director Varadesh Hiregange welcomed and Honarary Director M V Kamath was present.

 

 Prof Aijaz Ahmad speaking in MIC. Also seen are MIC Director Varadesh Hiregange (from left), Honarary Director M V Kamath