This publication is the product of the cooperation between two think tank networks, the Strategic Studies Network (SSN) and EuroMeSCo. Both SSN and EuroMeSCo have combined their efforts to produce policy-oriented analyses aimed at providing a better understanding of the democratic transformations in the Arab world and help regional and external policy-makers to devise better policies and support strategies.

The Working Group “The Arab Spring in Comparative Perspective”, led by the European Institute of the Mediterranean and bringing together researchers from the SSN and EuroMeSCo was created at the SSN annual summit in Bangkok in February 2014. In a working session in Barcelona in December, the researchers had the occasion to discuss all the research outputs generated throughout the year. The results of the workshop are included in this publication, which is divided into five chapters: “State-Building Processes and Institutional Reforms”, “The Role of Religion in Transitional Processes”, “The Role of Socio-Economic Policies in Arab Spring Countries”, “A New Concept for a New Neighbourhood” and “EU´s Promotion of Regional and Sub-regional Economic Integration and Cooperation”.