Events
Words, Not Swords: Iranian Women Writers and the Freedom of Movement
June 01, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:15pm
These are exhilarating times in the Middle East and North Africa. From the Green Movement in Iran to the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia and other uprisings in the region, demonstrators are demanding their democratic dignity and the expansion of their rights as citizens. The desegregated nature of these massive demonstrations, in which throngs of women walk shoulder to shoulder with men and face batons and bullets with open hands and life-affirming words, is unprecedented. It is indeed a revolution within revolutions. It is an antidote to Islamic fundamentalism, a turning point in the contemporary history of Islam. These circulating women—visible, voiced, and mobile—are seasoned negotiators of confined spaces, veteran trespassers of walls, closed doors, and iron gates. They are an audacious moderating, modernizing force to be reckoned with. Milani discusses the complex interconnectedness between power, space, and physical mobility in the Islamic world in general and Iran in particular.
USAID/Egypt Health and Population: Legacy Review and the Way Forward
May 23, 2011 // 9:00am — 10:30am
This event offers a look at a new “Legacy Report” of the long term results of USAID health sector assistance in Egypt. A remarkable history of generous USAID funding, consistent strategic objectives, high level political support, and solid partnerships has resulted in extraordinary health outcomes in Egypt.
Talking Turkey: On the Heels of Elections and in the Midst of Arab Turmoil
May 18, 2011 // 11:00am — 12:00pm
“When it comes to the Arab revolts and Turkey’s relations with its near abroad, there are more questions than answers to be found,” claimed Cengiz Candar. He argued that Turkey’s foreign policy agenda seems to be complicated by its inconsistent approach to the revolutions in the Middle East and Turkey’s publicity-seeking Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu.
Yemen Beyond the Headlines: Population, Health, Natural Resources, and Institutions
May 18, 2011 // 8:30am — 3:30pm
"Ultimately, whether Yemen is able to achieve its goals for social and economic development, will, to a large extent, depend on its future population growth and size," said Gary Cook, senior health advisor at the U.S. Agency for International Development, in his opening address at an all-day conference on the role of population, health, natural resources, and institutions in Yemen's political crisis.
Upheaval in the Middle East: What Is the Turkish Strategy?
May 12, 2011 // 3:00pm — 4:30pm
As a predominantly-Muslim democracy, ally of the West, a booming market economy and emerging “soft power”, Turkey has long been identified as a model for the political transformation in the Middle East. However, once the revolutions began, Turkey’s ability to contribute to democracy and stabilization appeared more limited than many thought.
Civilian Response Corps: Experiences From the Field
May 10, 2011 // 9:30am — 11:30am
On May 10, 2011, The Project on Leadership and Building State Capacity hosted an event titled “Civilian Response Corps: Experiences from the Field.” The event included a panel of four members of the Civilian Response Corps (CRC), both active and standby, who shared their experiences on the ground in reconstruction and recovery in post-conflict regions of Afghanistan, Central African Republic and Sudan.
Syria and Iran: An Alliance Tested?
May 09, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:15pm
The alliance between Syria and Iran has been a prominent and enduring feature on the political landscape of the Middle East since 1979. Goodarzi provides a brief overview and analysis of the origins and development of the Tehran-Damascus nexus and focus on its influence on regional politics, including the recent Arab spring.
Lebanese View of an Arab Changing Landscape
May 05, 2011 // 9:30am — 10:30am
Fuad Siniora was the Prime Minister of Lebanon during a very critical time including the 2006 war. Former Prime Minister Siniora speaks about the current situation in Lebanon and give his reading of the Arab spring and what that means to the future of Lebanon and the region.
The Bush Administration's Decision for War in Iraq, 2003
April 27, 2011 // 4:00pm — 5:30pm
Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar Melvyn P. Leffler will review prevailing interpretations and suggest how his current research may refine our understanding of the decision to intervene militarily in Iraq in 2003.
Iran Primer V: U.S. Policy Considerations
April 27, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:15pm
This meeting is the fifth in a meeting series on subjects covered in a recently published book, The Iran Primer, edited by USIP-Wilson Center Distinguished Scholar Robin Wright. The two panelists provide an overview of U.S. policy considerations regarding Iran as well as offer context and analysis for what lies ahead. They also discuss Iran as a possible new driver for U.S. policy within the context of the recent developments in the region since The Iran Primer was published in December 2010.
