Filter content by

Does Iran pose greater threat to the region than Israel? Here is what Arab citizens think
International Relations Blog Posts

Does Iran pose greater threat to the region than Israel? Here is what Arab citizens think

In the largest survey of its kind ever conducted in the region, the Arab Barometer asked ordinary citizens about their views toward both Iran and Israel. The results reveal that Israel is significantly more widely feared than Iran across the region and that few Arab citizens prefer closer relations between Arab countries and Israel. Overall, in three-quarters of countries surveyed,…

January 3, 2020
Who Desires to Migrate from MENA?
EconomyMigrationYouth Blog Posts

Who Desires to Migrate from MENA?

Desire to Migrate Increasing Among MENA Citizens. MENA Citizens have an increased desire to migrate, which can be attributed to increasing political and economic instability throughout the MENA region following the Arab Spring. The Syrian Civil War, the Libyan Revolution, the emergence of ISIS, the civil war in Yemen, lack of economic opportunities for youth have all created increased stability…

December 17, 2019
Teachers’ protest challenges Jordanian status quo
CorruptionEconomyGovernance Blog Posts

Teachers’ protest challenges Jordanian status quo

Teachers in Jordan are starting the third week of one of the longest strikes by educators in the region’s history. The teachers are demanding a 50 percent salary increase, which they claim was promised to them by the government in 2014. However, negotiations with the government have stalled, and there is no end in sight. The grievances raised by the…

October 14, 2019
Tunisia’s Upcoming Challenge: Fixing the Economy Before It’s Too Late
CorruptionEconomySocial Justice Blog Posts

Tunisia’s Upcoming Challenge: Fixing the Economy Before It’s Too Late

Photo by Gwenaël Piaser under a creative commons license available here . Tunisia’s economy is not in good shape and has a set of key challenges it needs to confront. High unemployment, unfulfilled demands for social justice, rise in corruption, and an unsustainable macroeconomic trajectory, all threaten recent political gains. This paper explores the reasons why Tunisia’s budding democratic order…

September 23, 2019
Overwhelming majority of Palestinians view “honor killing” as a heinous crime, and more than 60% demand the resignation of president Abbas
CorruptionEconomyGender IssuesGovernanceInternational RelationsPolitical Institutions Blog Posts

Overwhelming majority of Palestinians view “honor killing” as a heinous crime, and more than 60% demand the resignation of president Abbas

Image credit: Alisdare Hickson. While a majority is dissatisfied with the behavior of the PA and Palestinian factions in response to the Israeli demolition of homes in Wadi al Hommos, a greater majority believes that Abbas’ response, to stop implementation of agreements with Israel, is merely a media stunt and will not be implemented; and while support for two-state solution…

September 16, 2019
Israel or Iran: Which is the greater perceived threat?
International Relations Blog Posts

Israel or Iran: Which is the greater perceived threat?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that if elected next week, he will formally annex significant parts of the West Bank. Arab capitals were quick to condemn this announcement, potentially threatening the recent rapprochement between Israel and certain Arab governments. Relations had steadily been improving in large part because of the perceived threat of Iran to the region, which…

September 11, 2019
Egypt: Key Findings on Public Opinion 2018-2019
EconomyGender IssuesGovernancePolitical InstitutionsReligion Blog Posts

Egypt: Key Findings on Public Opinion 2018-2019

Egyptians with different levels of income and education seem to have incredibly disparate perceptions of the Egyptian reality. Richer and better educated Egyptians are systematically more optimistic about the future of the economy, report higher satisfaction with the current government’s performance, and demonstrate higher levels of trust in the private sector. That Egypt suffers from inequality of income and opportunity…

September 10, 2019
Algeria: Key Findings on Public Opinion 2018-2019
CorruptionExtremismInternational RelationsPolitical InstitutionsReligion Blog Posts

Algeria: Key Findings on Public Opinion 2018-2019

Executive Summary Beginning in February 2019, many citizens began to take to the streets which ultimately resulted in the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. On the eve of the protests, Algerian citizens were not only deeply frustrated with economic conditions, but with the system as a whole. Perceptions about the state of the economy and optimism about the country’s future…

September 9, 2019
Morocco : Key Findings on Public Opinion 2018-2019
CorruptionEconomyGovernanceInternational RelationsPolitical InstitutionsReligionYouth Blog Posts

Morocco : Key Findings on Public Opinion 2018-2019

Executive Summary Beginning in February 2019, many citizens began to take to the streets which ultimately resulted in the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. On the eve of the protests, Algerian citizens were not only deeply frustrated with economic conditions, but with the system as a whole. Perceptions about the state of the economy and optimism about the country’s future…

September 9, 2019
Youth in the Middle East and North Africa
EducationFreedomsGender IssuesInternational RelationsLabor MarketMigrationYouth Blog Posts

Youth in the Middle East and North Africa

Executive Summary Individuals between the ages of 15 and 29 account for roughly 30 percent of the population of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).1 The beliefs, attitudes, and preferences of this large and growing segment of the population has the potential to shape and drive the region’s future. Yet, widespread youth discontent about their economic prospects poses a…

September 9, 2019