Category: Middle East/North Africa

The Middle East Unbalanced

     

  In 2011, the political trajectories of many Arab states appeared to converge as protesters across the region revolted against corruption and authoritarianism, demanding dignity and acknowledgement of their basic… Read more »

Bahrain ‘is bulldozing its civil society’ with ban on Shiite opposition

     

Bahrain suspended the country’s largest Shiite opposition group in a surprise court hearing Tuesday, intensifying its crackdown on dissent five years after Arab Spring protests rocked the island kingdom, The… Read more »

Tackling violent radicalization by counter-propaganda, inclusive governance, advancing democracy

     

Amid terror threats and continued travel by young people to and from Syria, the European Commission wants to help EU countries to tackle violent radicalization, EU Observer reports: The EU… Read more »

Empowering local actors, devolving power can assist Syria’s transition process

     

If the United States screens refugees for security risks, 59% of Americans support taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Middle Eastern countries, while 41% oppose, according… Read more »

Dalai Lama urges Suu Kyi to address Rohingya tensions

     

  The horrific violence in the Middle East, which in the case of Syria has led to the greatest refugee crisis in a generation, and appalling terrorist attacks — as we were sadly… Read more »

Iran’s Islamic Republic ‘in a period of flux and tension’

     

The 2016 elections resulted in important gains for moderates in the parliament and the Assembly of Experts, reaffirming developments that have been visible in Iranian politics since 2013, Stanford University… Read more »

North Korean workers protest

     

….. in Kuwait. North Korea has summoned dozens of workers from the Gulf state for staging a mass strike in protest at their working conditions, reports suggest: According to Radio Free Asia,… Read more »

Tunisia: From Political Islam to Muslim Democracy?

     

The European Union today approved a 500 million euro ($570 million) loan to help Tunisia address economic challenges and bolster its democratic processes, Reuters reports: Tunisia’s transition to democracy has… Read more »

Steer Middle East policy toward democracy promotion

     

The next U.S. administration should steer its Middle East policy toward democracy promotion across the region, argues Charles W. Dunne, a Middle East Institute scholar and former U.S. diplomat. The… Read more »

Islam and democracy: What’s the problem?

     

Can Muslim-majority countries strike a balance between faith and democracy? Al Jazeera asks. Or, is there an irreconcilable tension between liberal values and Islamic beliefs? When we discuss political Islam… Read more »