Articles

The Virus of Fear

2020-03-09

The panic that often occurs during a health crisis or in the aftermath of a natural disaster can – and has – led to spasms of irrational violence. Lack of truthful public

details

What Is a Moral Foreign Policy?

2020-03-08

A foreign policy should be judged not only by specific actions, but also by how a pattern of actions shapes the environment of world politics.

details

That 1970s Feeling

2020-03-05

Policymakers and too many economic commentators fail to grasp how the next global recession may be unlike the last two. In contrast to recessions driven mainly by a demand shortfall, the challenge posed by

details

The Middle East’s Future of Perpetual Pandemics

2020-03-03

If outbreaks like the coronavirus shift from ‘black swan’ events to regular occurrences, globalization trends in the region may reverse, with sobering consequences.

details

A Tale of Two Demagogues

2020-03-02

Economic nationalism is on the rise, and democracy is on the wane. Given those worrying trends, the recent meetings in India between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may yet come to be seen as the apotheosis of dystopia.

details

When Viruses Turn Political

2020-02-15

As the coronavirus continues to spread, the public must rely on international cooperation among governments to fight the disease effectively. But mounting pressures on political leaders risk pushing them toward more nationalistic short-term measures that

details

A Perilous Turning Point in the U.S.-Iran Confrontation

2020-01-25

With the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the U.S.-Iran standoff has shifted from attrition toward open conflict. Tehran will retaliate – the only question is how – prompting another response from Washington. Allies of both should interc

details

Iran tasked Nasrallah with uniting Iraqi proxies after Soleimanis death

2020-01-25

Hezbollah leader sponsors truce talks, with Iraqi paramilitaries endorsing Hadi al-Amiri as PMF leader and Tehran courting Moqtada al-Sadr in bid to form united resistance

details

Building Cooperation in an Unsettled World

2020-01-25

While the changing nature of global power may tempt some actors to seek advantage through confrontation, the expanding field of stakeholders offers the possibility of a course correction.

details

Don’t Hold Your Breath for Democratic Change in the Middle East

2020-01-05

The region is accustomed to cycles of protest and political upheaval, so it’s better not to bank on successful revolutions.

details

Dystopia Is Arriving in Stages

2020-01-05

Science fiction has a warning about developing mind-reading technology without any proper framework for how to control it.

details

After years of wasting time in meetings, 3 former Googlers decided to do things differently at their new startup

2019-12-27

A pointless, never-ending meeting is a great way to kill productivity in the workplace.

details

Is Huawei Really More Dangerous than Facebook?

2019-12-27

US President Donald Trumps campaign against leading Chinese technology companies is driven by legitimate concerns.

details

One mans 10-year experiment to record every moment

2019-12-11

A Spanish scientist records all his activities so he can learn how to live more effectively. But what do you gain from forensically tracking every part of your day?

details

In deprived areas, depression hits men harder

2019-12-01

One study suggests in low income areas, males have poorer mental health than women.

details

The bias that can cause catastrophe

2019-11-28

The outcome bias erodes your sense of risk and makes you blind to error, explaining everything from fatal plane crashes to the Columbia crash and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

details

Polling Insights on Iraq’s Shia Revolt

2019-11-24

Iraqi Shia have lost faith in their government because it has failed to meet their basic needs in any of these three categories. After the fall of Saddam Hussein and the rise of new governance models

details

How Deep Is Anti-Iranian Sentiment in Iraq?

2019-11-24

A regular survey of experts on matters relating to Middle Eastern and North African politics and security.

details

Is This the Arab Spring 2.0?

2019-11-09

Nearly a decade after the Arab Spring fizzled, a new wave of protest has swept over the Middle East and North Africa. What is different this time, and will the protesters get what they want?

details

Looking at the Last American Elections until 2020

2019-11-09

This week several states held off year elections. And, though it is easy to try to extrapolate these results into a national trend

details

Toward a Red Sea forum: The Gulf, the Horn of Africa, and architecture for a new regional order

2019-11-07

The Red Sea has fast become the subject of new geopolitical intrigue, as unprecedented engagement between Gulf states and the Horn of Africa reframes politics, economics, and security astride one of the world’s most heavily trafficked waterways

details

The humble three-wheeled tuk-tuk has become the symbol of Iraq’s uprising

2019-11-03

It is tuk-tuk vs. Land Cruiser at the heart of Iraqs uprising — and the scrappy tuk-tuk, for now, is winning.

details

Protests rage around the world – but what comes next?

2019-11-03

Unrest is seemingly everywhere. We look at the some of the reasons for and responses to it in Hong Kong, Lebanon, Chile, Catalonia and Iraq

details