Angry protesters. Conflicting political interests. Unfolding turmoil in the streets of Tunis. Hope for freedom amongst the Tunisian people.

President Zine El Abedine Ben Ali was forced from his position after demonstrators showed increased anger towards Ben Ali’s policies.

“Tunisia reflects a growing sentiment of people who are living under a dictatorial form of government and wanting to express themselves and decide their own destiny,” said Dr. Omar Ali, associate professor of African American and diaspora studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Anxiety has built up amongst the people of Tunisia due to high unemployment, high food prices, economic hardships, and political repression all over the region, according to The New York Times.

There is a growing concern for the political unsteadiness that erupted quickly over the past week in Tunisia, and the effects that the conflicts might have on surrounding areas.

“When you see political instability, it makes the market vulnerable. When you have instability of that kind, you see fluctuation … we will see a little fluctuation until things stabilize,” said Ali.

Whether the riots will spread or not is yet to be seen.

“Yes, they (the riots) are common to that region and, in fact, common throughout the world,” said Ali. “At particular times people act on their frustration and sometimes it takes violent form and sometimes it takes nonviolent form.”

According to MSNBC News, freedom of expression and economic gains are positive outcomes that could result from the riots. Already individuals have experienced more freedoms. For example, Tunisian journalists are able to write stories that are not being driven or influenced by the government.

“I don’t feel as though there could be a completely balanced central government immediately,” said junior Lamia Elgouacem, a student from Africa, in an e-mail interview. “It will take years, maybe decades, maybe centuries.”