Just one year ago, all eyes were on the Middle East — in particular, Egypt — as the Arab Spring sprung. One year later, the region sits in as much turmoil as ever. Syria. Iran. And in at the end of May, in Egypt, we’ll get our first answers to the question of what democracy may look like in the region. That’s when the first Presidential elections will be held since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak. And unlike the visions of student-led democracy that many thought might occur, we seem to be facing a battle among the Islamists — and just where on that scale Egypt may fall. What can we expect? Here to talk to us about that — as well as the role of energy in shaping democracies — is Timothy Mitchell, Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Columbia University and Author: “Carbon Democracy: Political Power in the Age of Oil.” (Originally broadcast 4-14-12 on The John Batchelor Show)
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