The bitter divisions in Syria both reflect and intensify the grave, long-term economic challenges that must be met if the country is to have a viable future, says Jihad Yazigi
Russian policy in the Middle East has been largely driven by pragmatic calculations of trade and geopolitical influence, in direct opposition to notions of liberal interventionalism and the ‘Arab Spring’. This week’s shocking massacre by Syrian forces in Houla, however, has fundamentally challenge
Doha may not have experienced the Arab Awakening, but the Arab Awakening has experienced Doha. The international political life of this city is in overdrive.
Bahrainis of all political affiliations waited in tense anticipation as rumours of a Saudi – Bahraini union circulated days before the Gulf leaders convened in Riyadh for the Gulf Cooperation Council summit on May 14th, 2012. The summit fell short of expectations however.
In the midst of a revolutionary winter, one writer sees rays of sunshine. The lack of a clear winner in the presidential election bears one overriding message: Egypt is changing.
The run-off between Morsi and Shafiq points to one undeniable conclusion: a leaderless revolution could topple a dictator but, when it comes to the ballot boxes, it cannot remain leaderless.
عندما يتعلق الأمر بالمصالح و مناطق النفوذ فإن ردود أفعال السياسيين و أنظمة الحكم لا تختلف, فالجميع دون استثناء يتخذ القرارات و الخطوات التي من شأنها أن تزيد أو أن
One Gallup poll has declared Egypt the most religious country in the world. But there are good reasons why Egypt may be joining the US, Canada, and Europe in the rapid rise of its non-believers.
We want to open up a public conversation which will situate the country’s history, society and politics within the wider context of the Arab World; one that will be finely attuned to specificities and generalities as we explore what Algerians aspire to for them and their country in the twenty-firs
With the population now standing at just 37 million, the memory of October 1988 refuses to go away. That event encapsulated the gulf between the small political and military clique and the excluded majority, still the defining feature of Algerian politics.
Endemic socio-economic difficulties have made Algeria a candidate par excellence for the domino effect of the so-called ‘Arab Spring.’ But, despite largescale discontent with the status quo for many years now, the iconic slogan “the people want to topple the regime” has been remarkably absent from
This Maghrebi state has so far been spared the domino effect of recent revolts in the region. The iconic slogan, “the people want to topple the regime” has been remarkably absent from the protests, and the stability of Algeria is seen in the west as pivotal to the continuation of the process of ch