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About Munir Atalla

Munir Atalla is a Jordanian of Palestinian origin studying Middle Eastern Studies, American Studies, and Communications at Tufts University.  He is a regular contributor at YourMiddleEast.com and has been featured on publications like +972 and 7iber.com.

Articles by Munir Atalla

On the World Economic Forum and globalization

Munir Atalla 2 June 2013

Our columnist attends a conference and can see why Gandhi suggested that humans are best organized in the small compounds he called “Swadeshi”.

Half-capacity Jordan: whose stories do we need?

Munir Atalla 23 May 2013

The way Jordanians imagine their national collective identity must evolve from tolerance to acceptance and from diversity to true inclusion.

Is Jordan a neo-colony?

Munir Atalla 16 April 2013

Jordan acts as a buffer with other Arab nations while they are being destroyed as in the case of Syria (and historically Iraq and Palestine) and takes in refugees from those nations so that they are not stranded at the Israeli border.

Jordan 2050: the constitutional monarchy with the solar panels?

Munir Atalla 1 April 2013

Predicting the future is a notoriously risky endeavour. My intention here is simply to challenge people to envision one potential future for Jordan (and the entire Middle East) that maybe could come true.

Nuclear Jordan: splitting atoms in a land of wind and sunshine

Munir Atalla 20 March 2013

Firmly in the “solar belt”, the area of the world with ideal conditions for solar power, Jordan should strive to become the poster child for renewable energy.

The last camel

Munir Atalla 4 March 2013

Many Syrian refugees have every intention of going home. Meanwhile, others don’t have homes to return to; their families have been all but obliterated.

Everything boils down to… education

Munir Atalla 18 February 2013

In Jordan, the people with the lowest scores are the ones put in positions of tremendous privilege as Imams or Sheikhs of Mosques whom people turn to for guidance on extremely sensitive personal issues like sexuality, faith, and ethics.

Silver lining of the Jordanian elections

Munir Atalla 28 January 2013

Jordan’s parliamentary elections were far from perfect, but a process has commenced that places an important first building block in the reform process.

Jordan’s economist king

Munir Atalla 13 January 2013

From an economic perspective, many of the King’s friends have done very well for themselves. But not all of them have done it without exploiting him.

Winter: is it coming to Jordan?

Munir Atalla 16 December 2012

On December 10, a resolution that read, ‘This House believes Jordan is on the brink of serious political turmoil and unrest’, was passed by a narrow majority of 54%. The debate will be televised on December 19.

Jordan getting chastised: another take on the protests

Munir Atalla 26 November 2012

Jordan's allies have turned up the heat. The kettle is whistling, but has not boiled over.


Rula Quawas – Jordanian pioneer

Munir Atalla 13 November 2012

The fact that such a harmless video could cause such ramifications is disappointing.

 

What’s in a jihad?

Munir Atalla 29 October 2012

There is a fine line between jihadist and freedom fighter. In Jordan, we call it “the national border”.

 

Out with the old, in with the old, in Jordan

Munir Atalla 15 October 2012

Yes, protests have increased since the Arab Awakening, but the monarchy has its finger right on the pulse.


Examining the US-Jordan relationship

Munir Atalla 1 October 2012

Reforms in Jordan have been a carrot on a stick, and the country is weathering what some are calling a “regional storm”. The saving grace of the King is that his time in office has so far been bloodless.

The plot thickens

Munir Atalla 10 September 2012

This year, the winds have also brought with them into Jordan an influx of refugees from Syria.


Almahjoob marghoub: Jordanians fight back for an open internet

Munir Atalla 2 September 2012

Jordan probably won’t censor its internet. But just the fact that it is still trying is extremely disappointing.


This week's guest editors

openGlobalRights editors

Our guest editors James Ron, Leslie Vinjamuri, Sophie Arie and Archana Pandya introduce this week's theme of:

Emerging powers and human rights.

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Woolwich - terror or conflict?

Secret Courts: 8 nightmare scenarios now possible in Britain
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Iran myths

Iranian presidential candidate and chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalill

Myths, falsehoods and misrepresentations about Iran
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Palestinian borders

Palestine, peoples and borders in the new Middle East map
Ahmad Samih Khalidi

Nobel Women's Initiative

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Europe from the bottom up

European Union stars in Paris. Flickr/notarim. Some rights reserved.

A new Europe can only come from the bottom up
Etienne Balibar

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The media in Europe

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Mali: the plot thickens

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Remote control war

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oDRussia at journalismfestival .com

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