From Cold War to Regional Reconciliation: The New Pragmatism in the Middle East

By Albadr Alshateri /

The new pragmatism in the Middle East is leading to a regional reconciliation process that, though some critics doubt it, is showing signs that it can sustain itself in the near future.

The Changing Middle East Regional Order

By Paul Salem / Winter 2022

A history of the Arab state system starting from the second half of the twentieth century to the present

Managing Crises, the Least-Bad Option

By Joost Hiltermann / Winter 2022

Conflict management in the MENA region has little chance of succeeding as conflicts increasingly intersect and tensions driven by larger, regional triggers become even more unpredictable

Competing Economic Visions in the Gulf

By Robert Mogielnicki / Winter 2022

Economic visions offer regional governments roadmaps for development, but they can also serve as a tool for measurement and—ultimately—accountability

Young People Are Leading Climate Activism in the Middle East

By Neeshad Shafi / Fall 2021

Across the Arab World and the Middle East, young people are mobilizing to raise climate change awareness.

The End of Corporate Janissaries in the Gulf

By Omar Al-Ubaydli / Spring 2021

Gulf family companies and businesses must learn to wean off the Kafala system that has created short-sighted dependency on elite migrant workers, much like the flawed Janissary model of governance.

Why the Phrase “Arab Spring” Should be Retired

By Sean David Hobbs / Winter 2021

It’s time to stop using a Western-based concept ten years on from the events that began the Arab Uprisings.

A Timeline of Arab Rapprochement

By Ibrahim Elzayat /

A blockade of Qatar is lifted after Arabs mend fences and resume diplomatic ties.

The Viral Quotient: How Arab Media Responded to COVID-19

By Lobna Khairy and Sarah El-Shaarawi /

From social media to government narratives, the audience was bombarded with a plethora of information, some of which was confusing and contradictory.

The Middle East Reacts to Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century’

By Sydney Wise / January 30, 2020

Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace, the reactions of key regional figures ranged from hopeful to enraged.

Opportunity of the Century?

By Nabil Fahmy / Summer 2019

Jared Kushner’s economic stimulus initiative to solve the Palestinian issue was introduced in the 80s and ended in failure.

A Regional Order Contested

By Karim Haggag / Spring 2019

Extreme instability has prompted a fundamental reconfiguration of the contemporary Middle East; as the old order crumbles, a new one has yet to emerge

Consuming Snow in Desert Shopping Malls

By Mona Abaza / May 3, 2018

Mega-mall development in Cairo’s suburbs follows a neoliberal model of consumerism popular across the Middle East.

Banning Opposition Groups Is a Failed Arab Legacy

By Rami G. Khouri / July 20, 2016

It is perplexing to see Arab governments today continue to dissolve and ban certain political groups (mostly Sunni or Shiite Islamists) in trying to resolve serious, homegrown political struggles.