As the Libyan civil conflict (or revolution if you prefer) continues, observers continue to struggle to make sense of the divisions within Libyan society.  Libyan and North African specialists obviously have much to contribute to analyzing this conflict, but considering civil conflict comparatively may offer some additional ways of understanding the fighting in Libya.

Russell Jacoby attempts to provide such a comparative perspective in an article, based on his forthcoming book, in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Another attempt to examine the current wave of revolutions comparatively is offered by Simon Sebag Montefiore in a New York Times op-ed.