Category: Middle East/North Africa

What are Khalilzad memoir’s lessons for U.S. policy?

     

Raymond Tanter, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan, asks in The National Interest: First, regarding theory: recognize bureaucratic principles, as modified by recent research, which is quite critical of… Read more »

U.N. experts decry Egypt’s civil society crackdown

     

Egypt is closing down domestic non-governmental organizations and putting travel bans on their staff in order to obstruct scrutiny of human rights issues, three independent U.N. human rights investigators said… Read more »

Iraq: authoritarian nostalgia or shift from sectarian politics?

     

  Secretary of State John Kerry made an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Friday, promising continuing American military and humanitarian aid in the fight against the Islamic State, and showing… Read more »

Panama Papers energize Syria’s democratic opposition

     

Syria’s democratic opposition is combing through this week’s release of the Panama Papers to revitalize efforts to identify and freeze billions of dollars amassed by the family and friends of… Read more »

Democratization, Authoritarianism, and Radicalization: Exploring the Connections

     

The Future of Islam and Democracy After the Arab Spring is one of the sessions of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy’s 17th Annual Conference. Panelists include: John Voll,… Read more »

Egypt ‘significantly escalates’ civil society crackdown

     

Egypt expanded its crackdown on human rights organizations Tuesday, raiding a center that treats victims of violence and attempting to shut it down. This time, however, the government backed down,… Read more »

The Decline and Fall of the Arab State

     

A mere five years ago, the suggestion that Egypt would have experienced two changes of regime or that Tunisia would be in the midst of a democratic transition would also… Read more »

Illiberal powers emboldened – Authoritarianism Goes Global

     

  Over the past decade,  and gained influence within the global arena. Leading authoritarian countries―including China, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela―have developed new tools and strategies to contain the… Read more »