Essays

Iranian women advance their political agency even as their government imposes a neo-patriarchal economic and political system in the Islamic Republic.

The Long Struggle for Women’s Rights

By Odharnait Ansbro

Spring 2018

Following the Arab Spring, the fight for women’s sexual and social rights will be won in the Middle East and North Africa through progressive evolution, not revolution.

Are Egyptian Women Empowered?

By Laila El Baradei

Spring 2018

Seven years after the Egyptian uprising, what have Egyptian women achieved and what challenges have they faced? A lot still needs to be done before they gain more political and social power.

The Middle East According to Egypt

By Mohamed Kamal

Spring 2018

The Egyptian government is charting a role for itself as new and critical developments unfold in the region.

Egypt’s Shifting Foreign Policy Priorities

By Alaa Elhadidi

Spring 2018

How are Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s foreign policy priorities expected to change after his reelection?

The Truth about the Muslim Brotherhood

By Abdel Monem Said Aly

Spring 2018

For the better part of two decades, a debate has raged in American research and policy circles about whether the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is a moderate political force. A study of the Brotherhood’s political Islam and its linkage to present-day terrorism.

Sixty Years of Egyptian Politics: What Has Changed?

By Dina Shehata

Spring 2018

The Egyptian state has undergone three major regime transitions since Gamal Abdel Nasser’s rule, with the current regime reversing much of the policies put in place by the first.

ASEAN: An Unexpected Success Story

By Kishore Mahbubani and Kristen Tang

Spring 2018

Against all odds, the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, has grown into one of the most viable and successful regional organizations in the world.

The New Age of Renewable Energy

By Jeffrey Ball

Winter 2018

Renewable energy is moving from niche to mainstream markets. One of the clearest signs yet: the Middle East is embracing it. Can a transformation still in its infancy grow into a full-blown energy revolution?

Kirkuk’s Oil Chessboard

By Ellen R. Wald

Winter 2018

ISIS, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi government, and numerous other regional and international players have all vied for control of Kirkuk’s oil. But the struggle to rule this commodity has become a political chess game stretching across northern Iraq and beyond.

Russia’s New Energy Gamble

By Bruno Maçães

Winter 2018

Russia aims to position itself as a leader among energy-producing equals in Eurasia. Since 2015, Russia has sought to play a more active role in the Middle East, setting its sights on the region’s energy resources to achieve this strategic goal.

Egypt Re-Energized: An Industry Report

By Dianne Sutherland

Winter 2018

As new discoveries of natural gas deposits are made in Egypt and an interest in renewable energy resources arises, this industry report forecasts good times ahead for the North African country.

A New Kingdom of Saud?

By Adel Abdel Ghafar

Winter 2018

Saudi Arabia is undergoing a massive transformation with all eyes set on the “Vision 2030” plan. How successful will the country be in reshaping its future?

The Widening Saudi–Iran Divide

By Seyed Hossein Mousavian

Winter 2018

The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran marks a deepening division between regional powers and international hegemons in the Persian Gulf. The Saudis and Iranians have to learn to cooperate or risk further confrontation.

Creators Meet Censors

By Joseph Fahim

Winter 2018

Since the 2011 uprising, the freedom and mood of Egyptian cinema and television have changed considerably. A story of the growing standoff between creators and censorship in post-2011 Egyptian drama.

Flawed Diplomacy in Libya

By Elissa Miller and Karim Mezran

Winter 2018

For years, many actors have tried to mediate peace efforts for the Libyan crisis, but instead of an end to hostilities, conflicts remain.

India’s Teflon Man

By Michael Kugelman

Winter 2018

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be a global pop star, but at home he
is struggling. Yet, despite many domestic challenges and crises, he has managed
to maintain his popularity in India.

Lord Balfour’s Burden

By Mahmoud Abbas

Fall 2017

A century ago, the Balfour Declaration paved the way for the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The President of the State of Palestine asks the United Kingdom’s government to apologize for a document that set off a century of suffering and dispossession for the Palestinian people.

Israel at a Crossroads

By Shlomo Ben Ami

Fall 2017

Israel’s occupation of the West bank raises the question of whether the Jewish state wants peace. Fifty years later, apartheid policies pose a threat not only to the future of the Palestinian people, but also of Israeli democracy.

Palestine and the Law of Nations

By Nabil Elaraby

Fall 2017

The United nations holds a “sacred trust” to establish Palestinian statehood and independence. Yet repeated failures to enforce decisions against Israel’s occupation have shaken the credibility of international law and the universal human rights it upholds.