Question

Read the abstract of the article titled “‘Taming’ Arab social movements: Exporting neoliberal governmentality” (2013).
“In the wake of the recent Arab revolutions, the European Union (EU) has sought to provide genuine and substantial support to a range of Arab social movements in the region’s emerging polities. We argue, however, that the EU’s attempts at democracy promotion in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region may be understood through a governmentality framework, despite the limitations of such an approach. Specifically, the EU is actively promoting neoliberal policies in the aftermath of the Arab Spring in order to foster a mode of subjectivity that is conducive to the EU’s own norms and interests. What we observe are not just innocent attempts at democracy promotion, but a form of politics and economics that seeks to subject the agency on the ‘Arab street’ to EU standards. We conclude by going over the radical plurality of the Arab street, and show how it was in fact earlier neoliberal reforms by their former regimes that created the conditions of possibility for the recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.”
On the basis of the above statement, which of the following can be asserted?
(1) Social movements can no longer be understood as a purely intra-national phenomenon.
(2) Local social movements for democratisation have little to do with the transnationalisation of the practices of neoliberal governmentality.

• A. Both the statements are correct
• B. Both the statements are incorrect
• C. Only (1) can be asserted
• D. Only (2) can be asserted

Hint:

In passage-based questions, always test each statement directly against the author’s core theoretical framework and argument.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the core argument of the passage.
The passage argues that the European Union’s involvement in Arab social movements after the Arab Spring should be understood through the lens of neoliberal governmentality. This implies that social movements are influenced by transnational actors, policies, and norms rather than being confined within national boundaries.
Step 2: Evaluation of Statement (1).
Statement (1) claims that social movements can no longer be understood as purely intra-national phenomena. This is consistent with the passage, which highlights the role of the EU and transnational neoliberal policies in shaping social movements in the MENA region. Hence, statement (1) is correct.
Step 3: Evaluation of Statement (2).
Statement (2 suggests that local social movements for democratisation have little to do with transnational neoliberal governmentality. This directly contradicts the passage, which emphasizes how neoliberal governmentality exported by external actors like the EU actively shapes and conditions local social movements. Therefore, statement (2) is incorrect.
Step 4: Conclusion.
Since only statement (1) is supported by the argument of the passage, the correct answer is option (C).