Media Diplomacy: How Public Communication Shapes Modern Conflict
In a Kyiv bomb shelter, a wartime president addresses his people via a smartphone. In London, thousands march with foreign flags, chanting in solidarity with a ...
Category: Middle East
Our Middle East North Africa desk (MENA) covers the region of the Mediterranean from Morocco up to and including Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Behind Closed Doors: How the Law, Economy, and Global Neglect Trap Migrant Women Workers in the Gulf
The millions of migrant women who serve as domestic workers in the Persian Gulf are an invisible backbone of the region’s prosperity. They cook, clean, and care...
#OpISIS: Hacktivism and the New Era of Counterterrorism
The year is 2015. Following the November Paris Attacks—in which 129 individuals were killed by ISIS, and even more were left wounded—online “hacktivist” group A...
PMFs as Ineffective, Unethical Counterinsurgents: The Case of Blackwater in Iraq
Introduction Private Military Firms (PMFs) are an emerging branch of actors in postmodern military conflict. While the use of ‘mercenaries’ goes back cent...
The Palestine Authority at a Political Crossroads
On January 21st, 2025, Israel Defense Forces launched a major military raid on Jenin in the occupied West Bank entitled “Operation Iron Wall”. The Israeli milit...
A New Order? The Changing Balance of Power in the Middle East Pt. III
Part 3: Saudi Arabia’s Ascendancy: Balancing Power, Partnerships, and Global Influence Saudi Arabia is emerging as one of the most consequential actors in the M...
A New Order? The Changing Balance of Power in the Middle East Pt. II
Part 2 : Russia’s Geopolitical Reckoning in the Middle East Russia’s historical engagement in the Middle East is entrenched in religious, cultural, and geopolit...
A New Order? The Changing Balance of Power in the Middle East Pt. I
Part 1: The Decline of Iran’s Regional Hegemony General Introduction Recent events in the Middle East are reshaping the region’s geopolitical landscape, s...
Fractured Alliances: The Ripple Effects of Assad’s Fall in the Caucasus
The fall of Assad’s regime came as a surprise, but Russia’s swift abandonment of one of its closest allies was even more unexpected. While Russia had previously...
Religion, Culture, and Legal Reform in Saudi Arabia
Originally published in May 2021 The guardianship system in Saudi Arabia consisted of a set of legal norms that, until recently, restricted women’s liberties. P...