Egypt’s Obsession With Women’s Clothes
In recent months, there have been a plethora of stories emerging from Egypt, in which women’s clothing and bodies have been policed. Women have been arrested, barred and publicly condemned…
Who Says Popular Quest for Change in the Middle East Has Been Quelled?
Who Says Popular Quest for Change in the Middle East Has Been Quelled? A series of recent mass protests in several Arab countries have called into question suggestions that civil…
What Future for Syria?
In March 2011 a few teenagers in a southern Syrian city – fired up no doubt by the revolutionary fervour sweeping the Middle East at the time – daubed some…
The Tribulations of Hamas
Hamas’s fortunes have taken a turn for the worse. The de facto government of the Gaza strip suddenly finds itself in difficulties on four fronts: deteriorating external relations, including financial…
Unbelievable What Some Syrians Do to Live on
Here are few stories of some Syrians who do little things to live on. These stories are nothing but heartbreaking. I spent my whole life in these neighbourhoods. And now…
The Struggle Over Ideological Power in the Middle East
Using religious frameworks in political contestation and mobilisation processes has become more eminent in recent decades spiralling an intricate debate on the conceptualisation and implementation of such references in the…
Confronting Islamism – OpEd
This summer, as the British parliament take its annual break from business, civil servants are hard at work preparing an unprecedented assault on Islamist extremism. The UK’s Counter-Extremism Strategy, to…
Yemen Conflict and Arab Uprising: Regional Fissures and Repercussions
The Saudi military intervention in Yemen against Houthi rebels has repercussions in the kingdom amid cracks appearing in the ruling families in Riyadh and United Arab Emirates. SAUDI ARABIA’S four-month…
Who’s in Favour of a Middle East Peace Conference?
For nearly fifty years the accepted mantra has been that only direct face-to-face negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians can yield a mutually acceptable settlement. That formula has been tested…
Critique of Arab Intellectuals – Roles and Responsibilities
Working on the topic of Arab intellectuals represents a considerable challenge because the level of uncertainty is great and the dangers are greater. Doing a study about Arab intellectuals resembles…