What kind of Arab democracy?
The Arab Spring largely failed to reduce the scope of sectarian and religious radicalism in Arab societies, notes Khaled Sulaiman. However, will this failure lead to a reevaluation about the… Read more »
Category: Jordan
Rethinking Political Islam?
The Qatar quarrel may seem like a tempest in an Arabian teapot, The Washington Post’s David Ignatius writes. But at its heart is the question that has vexed the… Read more »
Expected decline in Arab democracy confirms unrealistic optimism
The shortcomings of democratization as a vehicle for regional reform and transformation are confirmed by the findings of the latest Arab Democracy Index, analysts suggest. The intra-Arab collaborative index is… Read more »
Arab civil society crucial for democracy
Popular protests against corruption and curbs on freedom of expression are indications of the increasingly authoritarian rule of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, observers suggest. A Palestinian author is hiding in an… Read more »
Jordan poll reveals pessimism, anxiety over economy and refugees
There has been a sharp uptick in the number of Jordanians who are pessimistic about the country’s trajectory, and increased support for closing the borders to Syrian refugees, according to… Read more »
‘Countering violent extremism’ – challenges and responses
Violent extremism is caused primarily by religious ideology more than racism, poverty, military interventions by foreign governments and human rights abuses, according to a new global poll published this week… Read more »
Does culture affect foreign policy – and democratization?
Western ideas—which many in the West believe are universal—collide with the ideals of Middle Eastern societies in ways that aren’t always obvious, argues Steven Cook, a Fellow for Middle… Read more »
Jordan: redefining civil society
A younger generation of educated activists in Jordan is attempting to navigate the middle ground between maintaining the status quo and pushing for regime change – neither of which is… Read more »
Election exposes Jordan’s enduring weaknesses
One of the most common claims I hear when asking Jordanians about elections is: “We are a tribal society, and tribalism will always dominate the elections,” notes Kristen Kao, a… Read more »
Jordan election: the same old song?
Jordan’s parliamentary elections on September 20 have produced a parliament that will contain opposition figures for the first time in a decade, analysts Michele Dunne and Marwan Muasher write for… Read more »