Abstract:
On September 4, 2012, the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International
Affairs (IFI) at the American University of Beirut (AUB) convened a roundtable discussion
on the 'Civil State'. A highly topical subject due to recent Arab uprisings, IFI and the
participants hoped that ideas tabled during the discussion would generate further
research and working papers. It was also hoped that the discussion could provide the
inspiration for a more comprehensive Arab conference. This could, in turn, provide an
important regional platform for critical thinking and progressive argument with which
reforms could be sought. All present at the roundtable shared the intention to drive this
new era of Arab aspiration forward and to be sensitive to current political, social and
cultural needs.
