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.

On the World Economic Forum and globalization

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

By Munir Atalla

/ 2 Jun 2013

Half-capacity Jordan: whose stories do we need?

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

By Munir Atalla

/ 23 May 2013

Is Jordan a neo-colony?

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.

By Munir Atalla

/ 16 Apr 2013

Jordan 2050: the constitutional monarchy with the solar panels?

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.

By Munir Atalla

/ 1 Apr 2013

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

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.

By Munir Atalla

/ 20 Mar 2013

The last camel

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.

By Munir Atalla

/ 4 Mar 2013

Everything boils down to… education

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.

By Munir Atalla

/ 18 Feb 2013

Silver lining of the Jordanian elections

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

By Munir Atalla

/ 28 Jan 2013

Jordan’s economist king

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.

By Munir Atalla

/ 13 Jan 2013

Winter: is it coming to Jordan?

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.

By Munir Atalla

/ 16 Dec 2012

Jordan getting chastised: another take on the protests

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

By Munir Atalla

/ 26 Nov 2012

Rula Quawas – Jordanian pioneer

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

By Munir Atalla

/ 13 Nov 2012