CC Interviews Reporter Lara Setrakian

By Garnet Henderson

I’ll never forget the first footage I saw of the uprising in Egypt last winter – Tahrir Square full of people shouting, chanting, and waving Egyptian flags. As the Arab Spring movement continues to grow, we are witnessing a revolution. But watching a revolution from afar is strange – it’s exciting, scary, and confusing all at the same time.

Recently, I had the chance to interview Lara Setrakian, a foreign correspondent for Bloomberg Television and ABC News. Lara is a young American journalist based in Dubai, but travels back and forth to the United States frequently. She has come to be regarded as an authority on the political situation in the Middle East, and reported live from Tahrir Square earlier this year as the rule of President Hosni Mubarak came to an end. Who better to provide a little perspective on these events than someone who has seen them firsthand? Read on for my interview with this incredibly inspiring and driven lady!

What is a typical day in your life like?

On a typical day I’m in the office by 8 am, reading the Bloomberg wires, the New York Times, and everything I can get my hands on. Usually I’m on air for Bloomberg Television at 9am, having prepared a story the night before (of course if it’s late-breaking news, that’s more of a scramble). Throughout the day I’ll file reports for ABC News radio, covering whatever is happening in the Middle East. On a busy day I’ll be on air from 9am to 9pm, roughly once an hour; as a standard I’ve set for myself I’ll never deliver the same report the same way twice. It’s exhausting, but the adrenaline keeps you going!

What is it like to be an American woman living in the Middle East?

It’s easier than it used to be. At the start of the Iraq War in 2003, there was more of a backlash against Americans – it was a war that most Arabs didn’t want to see. But even then, people in the Middle East are good at separating Americans from America’s foreign policy. In the Gulf states, even in Saudi Arabia, being an American woman isn’t tough; the separation of men and women creates a comfortable distance. Ironically, it’s in traditionally more liberal places like Egypt or Tunisia where you’ll feel less comfortable. There is a certain machismo, a mix of cat calls and outright physical harassment that takes a thick skin to brush off.

What are some of the global implications of the recent (and continuing) upheaval in the Arab world? How might it affect the lives of Americans?

The upheaval creates more space in the Arab World – we’re just not sure yet what’s going to fill it. The ideas and ideologies that carry the day will shape the Middle East for generations. Every country in the Arab world is being reshaped, not just the ones that have been through wholesale regime change. Whether it’s our oil allies in Saudi Arabia or our sworn foes in Iran, they are finding a new balance, and our foreign policy need to adapt to that.

As Americans, we’ll feel it a number of ways. The uncertainty and upheaval has already raised the price of oil – that hurts our economy and our own wallets as goods get more expensive. If we see sustained violence, even a potential conflict between the likes of Iran and Israel, that impact will be magnified. On the flip side, if the process stabilizes, a broader swath of people feel invested in and represented by their governments, that will calm the Arab street. Less public frustration will mean less anger, less fuel for terrorism against the United States. At least that’s what US diplomats are hoping that stable – that more democracy in the Middle East will mean a safer America.

What do the recent political and social changes in the Middle East mean for Arab women?

So far there’s no clear consensus. Women have been heroes of the revolution, especially in Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen. In Syria, actress Fadwa Suleiman has had iconic moments leading the protests in Homs. They are powerful role models for a generation of Arab girls. But where the dust has settled, and the transition to democracy has begun, women are not freer or further ahead than they were under dictatorship.

On the bright side, women activists have a better chance than ever of making change. For one example watch the movie Cairo 6, 7, 8, about sexual harassment of women in Egypt. It changed attitudes and even laws before the revolution. But now the director tells me there’s even more hope that the film and others like it can make an impact. Self-expression and a sense of empowerment are on the rise, and in the long run that bodes well for women’s rights.

How would the daily life of a college-aged woman in the Middle East differ from that of a college-aged woman in America? How are they similar?

A college-aged woman in the Middle East would almost certainly live at home, and she’d sooner face family pressure to marry, settle down, and have kids. The same notion of independence doesn’t apply; instead it’s much more about interdependence, across families and communities. With that it gets harder to break certain norms – in Egypt, it might mean social pressure to wear a headscarf, or in Saudi Arabia, a perceived need to marry within your social class. It comes with a thicker support network of friends and family, but also a sure-fire invasion of privacy.

Click the gallery to see photos of Lara working!

Follow Lara Setrakian on Twitter @Lara.

Garnet is a student at Columbia University in New York City. When she’s not dancing or writing, she can be found exploring the city, and let’s be honest, spending way too much time on the internet. Follow her @garnethenderson.