….. Some might interpret the survey results as demonstrating a lack of demand or a lack of belief in democracy on the part of Arabs. They would likely be wrong, or at least be selectively using data that supports their views. Results from the Arab Barometer’s 2018 survey demonstrate, for example, that Arabs increasingly consider democracy to be the best…
Arab World in Transition?
“The attitudes of the publics in the Middle East and North Africa are changing remarkably. Today, 13 percent of the population classify themselves as “not religious”; among young Arabs, the proportion is even higher with 18 percent. This is the result of a recent study by Arab Barometer, a research network for survey research in the Middle East and North…
Talking about sex no longer so taboo in the Arab world
Over the past year, I have criss-crossed the Arab world for the BBC, making a series of short films on some of the women and men who are rewriting the rules – in and out of the bedroom. It’s easy to look at the sexual landscape of the Middle East and North Africa and see only doom and gloom, from…
The EU, Morocco, and the Stability Myth
On Thursday, June 27, 2019, the EU and Morocco held their first Association Council meeting in over four years, which was presented as a “reinvigoration of relations” between Rabat and Brussels. This reinvigoration comes after several years of diplomatic tension between the two due to two European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings stating that trade deals on agriculture and fisheries…
As the U.S. and Tunisian delegations meet, anti-Americanism is on the rise
Can the U.S. keep its close relationship with Tunisia amidst changing public opinion? Tomorrow, the United States and Tunisia will hold their third Strategic Dialogue, chaired by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui, the latest in a series of high-level diplomatic moves meant to publicly express U.S. support for the world’s youngest democracy. The Strategic…
Arab Barometer for 2018-2019: A look at Morocco
The Arab Barometer for 2018-2019 has been published, “yielding fascinating insights into how Arabs feel about a wide range of issues” including corruption, economics, extremism, gender, governance, international relations, political institutions, religion, social justice, and youth. The Arab Barometer claims to be “the largest repository of publicly available data on the views of men and women in the MENA region,”…
Survey Reveals Positive Statistics on Attitudes to Gender Equality in the Arab World
Rabat – A survey of more than 25,000 people across ten countries and the Palestinian territories conducted by BBC News Arabic and Arab Barometer research network in 2018-2019, had a lot to reveal about the Arab world’s stance on women’s rights and the LGBT community.
BBC Radio Scotland’s “Sunday Morning with…” INTERVIEW MICHAEL ROBBINS ON latest public opinion survey findings
BBC News Arabic has just published the results of a survey they commissioned to gain an insight into the views and lives of everyday people across the Arab world. The research collected opinions from over 25,000 people, on everything from religion and politics to sex, love and the status of women. Richard discusses the findings with Dr Michael Robbins, the…
BBC Radio 4 Sunday’s interview with Michael Robbins on Religion & Homosexuality Trends in MENA
BBC survey carried out by the Arab Barometer reveals people in Arab countries are becoming less religious. William Crawley of BBC Radio 4 Sunday program interviews Dr. Michael Robbins, director of the Arab Barometer, to discuss the findings.
A revealing survey that rings alarm bells
What is happening across the board is that populations are losing much of their trust in political and religious elites. Analysts have been scratching their heads over the results of a recent opinion survey on social, political and religious attitudes in the Arab world conducted by Arab Barometer, a Princeton University-based research network, and released by BBC News Arabic. Much…