Revolution as Language Event

The dramatic, infamous uprisings known as the “Arab Spring” have changed greatly the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region and the world order since 2011. Activists and influencers took advantage of communication technologies and social media to create digital platforms and archives at the height of conflict. As such, cultural activism and digital archiving prove to be crucial rebellion tools that not only shape public opinion, by unfolding the events as they occur on the ground but also uncover the extent to which literature and art could endorse values of liberty and democracy when digitized and archived. Interestingly, these resounding events have motivated the literary and artistic production in the Arab world that might be described as an “aesthetic uprising,” referring to the booming of literature and arts of all genres during that period. The events function as a powerful force that enhances the creative depth of writers, rendering the act of writing an ultimate expression of resilience. This article explores the transcultural identity of the “Arab Spring” through a close analysis of its literary portrayals and examines the linguacultural echoes that emerged from those political events.