Essays

The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in COVID-19

By Thomas L. Crisman and Zachary S. Winters

The nexus between water, energy, and food today is fragile—made all the more so by climate change, catastrophic weather events, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stopping the Spread: A Citizen’s Engagement

By Carl Manlan

Africa is no stranger to recent outbreaks and therefore has a foundation to combat the coronavirus, but more must be done to ensure the informal economy is included in a comprehensive strategy to beat COVID-19.

The Last Tourist in Luxor

By Audrey Lodes

During the coronavirus pandemic, the crown jewel of Egypt’s economy, tourism, is suffering, but people are coming together to make the best of a bad situation.

A Future Filled With Pathogens

By Dahr Jamail

The combination of a worsening climate crisis and ongoing human encroachment on the wilds will bring more pandemics.

An Alternative Approach to Regional Security in the Middle East

By Eman Ragab

The Arab Spring is a decisive event that continues to reshape the geopolitics of the region, so why has no progress been made to create a security collective?

Trash Sorters: Entrepreneurs in Africa

By Carl Manlan

Winter 2020

Africa is on the cusp of a community-led socioeconomic transformation, but this cannot happen without fully integrating the informal economic dynamos of young trash sorters

How Sudan Transitions

By Hamid Eltgani Ali

Winter 2020

Sudan’s path to democracy has been a rocky one, and there are several key players who need to ensure it never returns to an autocratic state

Toward Arab Food Security

By M. Anis Salem and Natasha Banks

Winter 2020

A roadmap for a sustainable future without wasteful subsidies and mismanagement

Edge of Survival

By Peter J. Jacques

Winter 2020

The interaction of food, energy, and water in North Africa is complex and building into a cascade of trouble. It is time to listen to the rural communities facing it on the frontline

Myths about Food Security and Water

By Eckart Woertz

Winter 2020

Will water be the cause of the next war in the Middle East? Is water important for regional food security? Can economic diversification really work? Time to bust the myths around questions of food and water security in the region

Averting a Total Collapse

By Thomas L. Crisman

Winter 2020

How is the water-energy-food nexus impacting ecological, social, and political systems in the Middle East and North Africa?

Striving for Water and Food Security

By Omer Karasapan

Winter 2020

The focus for MENA countries should not be to achieve self-sufficiency, but rather food security

No Land in Paraguay

By William Costa

Winter 2020

The preservation of indigenous peoples’ territories in Paraguay has a vital role in maintaining spiritual, cultural, and communal wellbeing. Despite this important reality, many indigenous communities’ bonds with their land have been shattered.

Seeds of Gulf-Africa Agribusiness

By Sarah Townsend

Winter 2020

When Gulf nations face food, security, and water scarcity issues, one response is to seek lucrative agricultural investments in fertile African lands. Yet, while such deals can bring benefits to the countries involved, there are also sizeable risks

Israel in the Age of Netanyahu

By Allison Hodgkins

Winter 2019

He crafted the post-Oslo consensus, overhauled the economy, and mastered the Knesset. Now the kingdom he built wants its keys back

Sailing Into a Universe of Knowledge

By Tarek Osman

Fall 2019

Liberal arts education has major benefits for student growth and transformation as exemplified by the United States’ university system and Al-Azhar University’s original learning model

Facing the Nuclear Storm

By Ali Ahmad and Benedetta Bonometti

Fall 2019

Countries across the Middle East are building or have already started operating their nuclear power plants. To assess how “resilient” their nuclear energy systems are, one must look at a number of important risks and factors