Essays

The Dynamics of War, Politics, and Peace in the Middle East

The justifications, enactments, and conclusions of the various conflicts that arose in the aftermath of October 7 remain murky, but historical and modern theories of war light a path toward future stability

Of Bombs and Regime Change: Experts Weigh the Israel-U.S. Strategy on Iran

Both the Americans and Israelis have for decades sought to topple the Islamic Republic. With Khamenei assassinated by Israeli bombing, is the end game near?

From Vietnam to Campus Encampments & Anti-Ice Protests: A Legal History of Federal Cases On Student First Amendment Rights

By Jacob Blau

Winter 2026

Students who have been silenced for their participation in recent protests should be aware of a deep legal history that has seen federal courts grapple with and protect the concept of student free speech

When European Semi-Fascism and Israeli Occupation Converge

By Erwin van Veen

Winter 2026

Semi-fascist parties in Europe support the exclusionary politics of Israel’s ultra-nationalists and ultra-religionists, raising concerns about their own plans once in office

Fascism in Football: How the Beautiful Game Turned Ugly

By Gabriele Cosentino

Winter 2026

Far-right politics have found mainstream attention among Italian football fans

Urbicide and the Brutal Unmaking of the City in Gaza

By Muhammad Alaraby

Winter 2026

Palestine has become a laboratory for how to destroy a people by demolishing their cities

Iran at a Strategic Breaking Point

By Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy

The war in June and recent nationwide protests could shape not only Iran’s future but also broader debates on sovereignty, intervention, nuclear proliferation, and the prospects for fundamental political change

Using Sex to Sell Racism: How AfD Policies Defy Logic

By Dagmar Herzog

Winter 2026

The sexual politics of the new far-right parties like the Alternative für Deutschland are full of deliberate contradictions and obvious echoes of Nazism

Critical Education in the Age of Trump’s Fascist Politics

By Henry A. Giroux

Winter 2026

To protect democracy, the classroom must remain a space of freedom, not fear

2025 Year in Review: Prolonged Conflict, Erratic Policy, and Burgeoning Artificial Frontiers

The past year has presented important lessons for the world to learn

The Banality of a Public Race for the Nobel Peace Prize

By Kourosh Ziabari

Donald Trump’s year-long campaign for a Nobel Peace Prize was not just impractical, unrealistic, or outrageous. It showed a clear disregard for the rules of the Nobel Foundation

What’s New Is Old: The Enduring Challenge of Non-State Armed Actors in the Post-October 7 Landscape

By Grace Wermenbol

While these groups may not have the resources or structure of traditional states, they play a major role in the continuation, or cessation, of conflict in the region

Lebanon: Political Imagination, Accountability, and a New Roadmap for Regional Stability

By Ayman Mhanna

Fall 2025

Independent media, some syndicates, civil society organizations, student movements, reform-minded entrepreneurs, and the diaspora continue to carve out spaces of accountability, even as national institutions flounder

Integrating Intersectionality into Humanitarian Aid

By Ghaidaa Motahar

A gender lens is not enough to ensure every woman receives the support she needs; considering factors like class and ethnicity are key to designing effective programs

Trump’s Peace Plan for Gaza: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown

Fall 2025

The most recent ceasefire deal proposed by the U.S. president makes big promises, but can it deliver?

Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

By Raphael Cohen-Almagor

Fall 2025

Building a new future for Israelis and Palestinians will require flexibility, compromise, and dedication from both sides as well as the international community

Beyond Its Wildest Dreams: Israel’s Campaign for Geo-Strategic Dominance in the Middle East

By Richard Silverstein

Fall 2025

Israeli hubris as it celebrates the demise of its enemies will be its ultimate downfall

The Double Genocide in Gaza

By Gregory H. Stanton

Fall 2025

Israel’s disproportionate response to Hamas’ October 7, 2023 massacre includes genocide against Palestinians in Gaza

Caught in the Crossfire: Jordan’s Balancing Act in the Iran-Israel Conflict

By Francesca Maria Lorenzini and Kourosh Ziabari

Fall 2025

Jordan’s defensive action to intercept Iran’s retaliatory drones and missiles, slashing through its skies in mid-June, has drawn both approval and criticism, underscoring the kingdom’s struggles to balance strategic alliances with public opinion