Middle East and North Africa Publications
A Kingdom's Future: Saudi Arabia Through the Eyes of Its Twentysomethings
Jan 18, 2013Written by former Public Policy Scholar Caryle Murphy, A Kingdom's Future: Saudi Arabia Through the Eyes of Its Twentysomethings explores the self-image of young Saudis and what they want when it comes to education, marriage, politics, religion, and personal liberties. more
Repression’s Diminishing Returns: The Future of Politics in Egypt
Jan 17, 2013Many analysts have rushed to declare a political outcome for Egypt's transition. Stacher argues that we must understand Egypt’s transition as a process of change rather than a finalized outcome. In doing so, he details the structural limits of governing Egypt as well as the receding capacity of state elites to deploy repression as a means of political control. more
Women’s Rights Under Egypt’s Constitutional Disarray
Jan 16, 2013Egypt’s post-revolution constitution does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender or religion. It only recognizes women’s domestic role within a family “founded on religion, morality, and patriotism.” Clerics will have the final word over the new laws. more
Delivering Solutions to Improve Maternal Health and Increase Access to Family Planning
Jan 16, 2013According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 800 women die daily from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries, with higher rates for women living in rural areas and among poorer communities. more
In 2013, Rise of the Right in Elections Across the Mideast
Jan 03, 2013In 2013, millions of Israelis, Iranians, and Arabs will vote in at least 10 pivotal elections that will, in turn, address basic issues facing the Middle East. These countries have vast political, religious, ethnic, and economic differences. But most confront a common trend—the rise of the right or the religious right—that will influence elections as well as policies both at home and in the broader region. more
Reflections on the Adoption of UNGA Resolution Banning Female Genital Mutilation
Dec 21, 2012On December 20, 2012, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Resolution “Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilations.” This resolution is a very important step in the history of the women’s movement in the MENA region, especially at a time when women’s role and rights are being marginalized in a number of Arab countries. more
WPSP Institutes – Summer Institute at Wellesley College (2012) Report
Dec 18, 2012The Global Women's Leadership Initiative (GWLI) is proud to present the Report of the inaugural Women in Public Service Project (WPSP) Institute. more
Has the Arab Spring Lived Up to Expectations?
Dec 17, 2012On the occasion of the second anniversary of the Arab Spring, the Middle East Program (MEP) invited a group of experts from the region, Europe, and the United States to contribute to this publication by answering the question, “Has the Arab Spring Lived Up to Expectations?”
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Women after the Arab Awakening (Winter 2012)
Dec 07, 2012In this publication, based on papers presented at a conference on October 2, 2012 at the Wilson Center, the younger, up-and-coming generation in the MENA region describe the current situation on the ground for women and the strategies they can use to organize themselves and move forward in the post-revolutionary phase. more
Dealing with the Iranian Nuclear Challenge
Nov 30, 2012Although Iran’s mastery of the nuclear fuel cycle presents an inherent option for creating a bomb, the Tehran regime has no urgent incentive to build nuclear weapons. Current U.S. policy, which emphasizes coercive sanctions and diplomatic isolation to compel Iran to comply with its obligations under the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), would fall squarely under the rubric of containment, even as the term has been eschewed and delegitimized in the U.S. policy debate. As long as Iran does not overtly cross the U.S. “red line” of weaponization, U.S. policy will likely remain containment in form, if not in name. more
