From Madrid to Cairo, Tel Aviv, Rome and New York, protests have erupted across the globe against economic instability, political unaccountability and corruption, and characterized by a prevailing sense of disillusionment. What are the defining characteristics of these movements? Where are the ideas coming from and how are they being expressed? How influential is social media in their structure and philosophy? In what direction are they going?

Civilian control of militaries has been a vital component of democratization in the Middle East. Samuel Huntington’s ‘Third Wave of Democratization’, which, he argued, began in 1974, is now washing up on Arab shores, thereby opening up the possibility that militaries may be subordinated to representative civilian governments. Robert Springborg will assess the prospects for an consequences of such civilian control in various Arab countries.

“Xenophobia urban responses” will be held in Villa La Pietra, Florence, Italy. The third annual transatlantic dialogue on immigration will see the participation of Dario Nardella, deputy major of the city of Florence, Badara Seck, singer, Izzedin Elzir, imam in Florence, Muzaffar Chishti, director of MPI office at NYU school of law, Nicola Solimano, Fondazione Michelucci and Fatima Shama, NYC commissioner of immigrant affair.

Next Thursday February 9th, NYU’s La Pietra Dialogues presents Imma Vitelli (at 6 pm, Villa La Pietra), International correspondent for Vanity Fair, who has been reporting from the ground in the Middle East.