Revisiting Orientalist Discourse since the Start of the “Arab Spring”: A Conceptual Overview of Development Initiatives in the Middle East and North Africa

The past two years have seen surges of Arab masses participating in the movement(s) we know as the “Arab Spring.” While these populations have been calling for democracy, prosperity, and greater transparency from their governments, there has been little response from Western donors and development agencies, apart from superficial enthusiasm and support for the movements. This article argues that the lack of Western development response is a consequence of the pervasiveness of the West's Orientalist reflections of itself, which are its roles as definer, saviour, envisioner, and exception. These reflections have not been challenged by the “Arab Spring”; rather, they have been reconstituted and repurposed while retaining the trace of Orientalist discourse. This article concludes by suggesting that these Orientalist reflections can be done away with only by directly challenging the uneven exchange between the West and the region.