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Is the MENA Region Becoming Less Religious? An Interview with Michael Robbins
Religion Blog Posts

Is the MENA Region Becoming Less Religious? An Interview with Michael Robbins

In late 2019, the research network Arab Barometer released the results of new polling surveys that show that there has been a decline religious faith and trust in religious parties across the Middle East and North Africa. Naman Karl-Thomas Habtom, a graduate student at Cambridge University and Senior Vice President of the Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum, recently had…

April 6, 2020
PEER REVIEW: Arab Barometer
EconomyGender Issues Blog Posts

PEER REVIEW: Arab Barometer

The Arab Barometer is a nonpartisan research network, hosted at Princeton University, which provides insight into the social, political, and economic attitudes and values of people across the Arab world. They have been conducting high quality and reliable public opinion surveys in the MENA region since 2006 and make the data publicly available (free of charge) on their website. The Arab Barometer is currently updating…

March 31, 2020
FACT SHEET: WORLD HEALTH DAY
Health Blog Posts

FACT SHEET: WORLD HEALTH DAY

Background In the fifth and latest wave of the Arab Barometer, we asked over 25,000 citizens throughout the Middle East and North Africa a series of questions related to World Health Day, including questions relating to evaluations of the healthcare system, and to environmental health issues. The following factsheet sets out some of the main findings and links to wider…

March 30, 2020
Freedoms and Retrenchment in MENA
FreedomsGovernance Blog Posts

Freedoms and Retrenchment in MENA

Over the last year a number of peaceful protests have been met with violence by authorities across the Middle East and North Africa. However, even before the most recent protests, evidence suggests that citizens across MENA enjoyed far fewer basic rights than in the years following the Arab uprisings of 2011.  Results from Arab Barometer make clear that the degree…

March 20, 2020
Water Pollution Worries in MENA
Environment Blog Posts

Water Pollution Worries in MENA

While seemingly endless conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa are at the fore of Western media coverage, a less conspicuous but arguably as influential factor has played a pivotal role in stoking existing tensions, fomenting unrest, and destabilizing daily life. Water, and more specifically access to clean sources of water, shapes conflicts throughout the region. From Saudi-led blockades…

March 17, 2020
Egyptian Youth are Dissatisfied with Their Education System
EducationYouth Blog Posts

Egyptian Youth are Dissatisfied with Their Education System

Around the world, students graduating from university worry about finding good jobs. Graduates from Egypt have a little more cause for concern than many of their peers: investing their time and money in higher education has statistically lowered their chances of finding employment. According to the European Training Foundation, in 2016, unemployment for youth in Egypt aged 15-24 was 11.3…

March 2, 2020
Unlike assumed, the unemployed were relatively passive protesters in the Arab Spring uprisings
Labor Market Blog Posts

Unlike assumed, the unemployed were relatively passive protesters in the Arab Spring uprisings

According to the narrative echoed among journalists, analysts, and academics, the frustrated unemployed were an important driving force behind the so-called Arab Spring uprisings. Based on my recent research article , the role of unemployment behind the Arab Spring, however, does not seem that crucial. The graph above shows the share of those who participated in the Arab Spring protests…

February 14, 2020
Fact Sheet: Are Arab Citizens Satisfied With The Education System?
Education Blog Posts

Fact Sheet: Are Arab Citizens Satisfied With The Education System?

Background In the fifth and latest wave of the Arab Barometer, we asked over 25,000 citizens throughout the Middle East and North Africa to evaluate their satisfaction level with the education system in their country, and to report on their perception of corruption — in particular, the perceived need to pay a bribe to access better educational services. The following…

January 13, 2020