Opinion
Our contributors are experts in Arab societies who provide nuanced opinion analysis on latest regional developments.
Qatar 2022: between controversy and hypocrisy
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was a hugely significant occasion for football and the Middle East and North …
War in Ukraine: the Syrian divide
As Arab fighters engage hostilities in Ukraine, this article examines their roles and motivations in joining the conflict.
Lebanon Parliamentary Elections 2022: an overview
A low turnout, new representatives, and Hezbollah lose their parliamentary majority.
Qatar’s opportunity amidst a UK energy crisis
In 2021, Vladimir Putin announced Russia would increase gas supplies to Europe to mollify the turbulent energy market. This offered …
9/11, 20 years on: an alternative perspective
The events of September 11th, 2001 changed the world. Of the four planes hijacked that day, two caused the collapse …
2019-2020 Lebanon protests: what to expect next
October 2020 marked a year of sizeable political protests in Lebanon. Protesters demanded a complete overhaul of the system. The …
Combatting COVID-19 in Libya
According to the Annual Report on Global Preparedness for Health Emergencies, 2019, conflict-affected countries are disproportionately affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) …
The Syrian artist who paints on death
Akram Abo Alfoz, an artist living under siege in Ghouta, creates inspiration as he transforms the medium destroying his city into a vehicle of hope. His work speaks optimism in a language that transcends speech.
Western colonialism’s continued compromise of Arab democracy
The British made promises to the Arabs but, after the fall of the Ottomans, European promises vanished like a mirage. Instead, they filled the Ottoman power vacuum with the British mandate. There would be no democracy in the Middle East.
Israel: an illegitimate, Middle Eastern democracy
Other than the fact that Israel is not the only example of democracy in the Middle East: is a democratically elected government legitimate if they are elected to pursue systematic colonialism?
Iran: politics of pragmatism & Arab parallels
Since the existence of independent nation states in the Middle East and North Africa, Iran has been one of the …
On France’s “Arab problem”
A recurring theme throughout Arab literature is exile. Being far from home, far from one’s family, one’s land, or one’s …