The chapters in this report analyze a number of features of each of the three socio-political actors (civil society, economic actors, and Islamist parties) in North Africa: their role in the current phase of transition, the extent to which they can be defined as “new” actors, and their relationship with other components of the state and society, including the remnants of the old authoritarian systems. These features highlight their relevance, whether and how these actors have changed in light of the Arab Spring, their goals and instruments, and the main challenges they face in promoting democratic change.
