Western Perceptions of the Arab Spring

WESTERN PERCEPTIONS OF THE ARAB SPRING THE CONCERN OVER WHO EMERGES IN POWER IS BEGINNING TO INFLUENCE WESTERN OPINION. THE ARGUMENT THAT MODERN COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BROUGHT ARABS TO THEIR PLACE IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO PREVAIL BY A LARGE MARGIN. OPTIMISM REMAINS HIGH FOR A MORE OPEN, TOLERANT ARAB SOCIETY AFTER THE ARAB SPRING. . . 23% IN 2012, TWICE AS MANY OPINION LEADERS 10 STRONGLY AGREE THAT THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT WILL 2011 2012 MAKE ARAB SOCIETIES LESS VIOLENT {80}. OF OPINION LEADERS COUNTRIES. FOLLOWED VERY CLOSELY BELIEVE THE EVENTS REPRESENT A MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE ARAB WORLD. ISRAEL/ SYRIA PALESTINE- LIBYA EGYPT RATHER THAN ISOLATED CIRCUMSTANCES. ...BUT PERCEPTIONS ARE MORE NEGATIVE TOWARD THE INVESTMENT OUTLOOK, ARAB SOCIETY AND ARAB MEDIA UNLIKE 2011, NEGATIVE A MAJORITY {54} IMPACT ON OF OPINION LEADERS FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS BELIEVE THE ARAB SPRING WILL HAVE A 54% SOMEWHAT MORE FAVORABLE OPINION LEADERS ARE SHIFTING PERCEPTIONS TO LESS FAVORABLE VIEWS TOWARD ARAB SOCIETY 39% 35% 28% NEITHER 16% 2012 MUCH MORE 17% FAVORABLE LESS FAVORABLE 12% 2011 30% ALJAZE 14 2011 2012 TWICE AS MANY OPINION LEADERS BELIEVE THE MEDIA PORTRAYS ARAB CITIZENS MORE NEGATIVELY DURING THE EVENTS OF THE ARAB SPRING 31% (56%} WHILE THE MAJORITY STILL BELIEVE THAT MEDIA WILL BECOME MORE OPEN AND FREE, THERE HAS BEEN 2011 2012 A LARGE SHIFT IN PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT ARAB MEDIA WILL BECOME MORE CONTROLLED AND RESTRICTED AS A RESULT OF THE ARAB SPRING This tracking study was conducted among a sample of 200 adult "opinion leaders" in the United States and bellwether countries in Europe (Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom. These are influential individuals that represent the top 20% of the population, who pay attention to current events, political issues and are engaged in the community. The initial research was conducted in 2011 among 343 opinion leaders in the same locations. APCO Insight, the global opinion research consultancy at APCO Worldwide, deploys a full suite of sophisticated qualitative and quantitative research methodologies geared toward producing actionable outcomes for clients. Drawing on experience in more than 60 countries, APCO Insight works with many of the world's leading companies, associations, nonprofits and public-sector organizations on a diverse range of communication, reputation and issue management challenges. APCO nsigi