Middle East and North Africa
Morocco: “Advanced Decentralization” Meets the Sahara Autonomy Initiative
May 23, 2013
The pace of reform in Morocco has been extremely slow since the enacting of the new constitution. Yet, buried in the maze of reports and studies that accompany any change in Morocco, a significant development is taking place: the program of “advanced regionalization” promoted by the king is transforming the 2007 proposal to grant a degree of autonomy to the Western Sahara into a one-size-fits-all system in which all Moroccan regions would enjoy more self-government, with the Western Sahara treated like any other region. more
Getting it Wrong: American Misperceptions of the Middle East
June 06, 2013 // 4:00pm — 5:00pm
The Middle East is a very confusing region. However well-intentioned, does the United States add to that confusion by injecting its own flawed assumptions and illusions into the mix? Join us for a discussion with seasoned Middle East experts. more
Iran Election Update
May 22, 2013
The Middle East Program offers the latest news on the Iranian presidential election of June 2013, based on a selection of Iranian news sources. The Iran Election Update is a daily summary of up-to-date information with links to news in both English and Farsi. It includes the latest developments and analysis of news about the upcoming election. more
Iran Election Update
May 22, 2013The Middle East Program offers the latest news on the Iranian presidential election of June 2013, based on a selection of Iranian news sources. The Iran Election Update is a daily summary of up-to-date information with links to news in both English and Farsi. It includes the latest developments and analysis of news about the upcoming election.
U.S. Report on Religious Freedom in Middle East
May 20, 2013Blasphemy and apostasy laws were applied in a discriminatory manner in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in 2012, according to a new report by the U.S. State Department. “These laws are frequently used to repress dissent, to harass political opponents, and to settle personal vendettas,” Secretary of State Kerry said on May 20.
Dialogue @ the Wilson Center Wins Two Telly Awards
May 16, 2013Dialogue at the Wilson Center is the recipient of two 2013 Telly Awards for the episode “Women and the Arab Spring,” featuring Haleh Esfandiari, Hanin Ghaddar, and Yassmine El Sayed Hani and for the episode “Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan,” featuring Rajiv Chandrasekaran.
Pew: Egyptians Favor Major Role for Islam in Politics
May 16, 2013At least 60 percent of Egyptians prefer democracy to any other kind of government, according to new poll by the Pew Research Global Attitudes Project. Results suggest that Egyptians want Islam to play a major role in their democracy. About 58 percent of Egyptians say laws should strictly follow Koranic teachings while 28 percent contend that laws should reflect Islamic values and principles ― but not strictly follow the Koran. Only 11 percent do not think the Quran should influence national laws.
Morocco: “Advanced Decentralization” Meets the Sahara Autonomy Initiative
The pace of reform in Morocco has been extremely slow since the enacting of the new constitution. Yet, buried in the maze of reports and studies that accompany any change in Morocco, a significant development is taking place: the program of “advanced regionalization” promoted by the king is transforming the 2007 proposal to grant a degree of autonomy to the Western Sahara into a one-size-fits-all system in which all Moroccan regions would enjoy more self-government, with the Western Sahara treated like any other region.
Backdraft: The Conflict Potential of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
Amid the growing number of reports warning that climate change threatens security, one potentially dangerous – but counterintuitive – dimension has been largely ignored. Could efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and lower our vulnerability to climate change inadvertently exacerbate existing conflicts?
Soviet Policy Toward Syria, 1976-1986: Factionalism and the Limits of Influence (1986)
Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Kennan Institute Occasional Paper Series #212, 1986. PDF 44 pages.
Wilson Forum - Strategic Options for Iran: Balancing Pressure with Diplomacy
Former senior national security officials, military officers, and experts with decades of Middle East experience present a balanced report on the strategic options for dealing with Iran.
Wilson Forum - The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
Mark Mazzetti, Former Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar and National Security Correspondent for The New York Times, discusses his new book, The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth.
Wilson Forum - Allies at Odds: Obama, Netanyahu, and The State of U.S.- Israeli Relations
On an all new episode of Wilson Forum the state of the U.S. – Israeli relations and the current relationship between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu is discussed.
Aaron David Miller
Historian, analyst, negotiator, and former advisor to Republican and Democratic Secretaries of State on Arab-Israeli negotiations, 1978-2003.
Aaron David Miller is currently the Vice President for New Initiatives and a Distinguished Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Between 2006 and 2008, he was a Public Policy Scholar when he wrote his fourth book The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for...
Abbas Sibai
Co-Founder, Aie Serve
Abbas Sibai is from Beirut Lebanon, part of Leaders of Democracy Fellows Program at Maxwell School, Syracuse University NY. He is passionate about creating new initiatives related to active youth participation, environment and health issues. Lately he developed "Live Love Beirut" a crowd s...
Ahmed Mansour
President, The International Quranic Center
EducationB.A. Arabic Languages, College of Arabic Language, Al-Azhar University; M.A. (1975) and Ph.D. (1980) Islamic History, College of Arabic Language, Al-Azhar UniversityExperienceFounder and President of the International Quranic Center, Springfield, VA, 2006-presentCo-founder and Interim Presi...