November 19, 2015

Voices from the Battlefield: Inside the Syrian Crisis

November 19, 2015/ Sammar Smesme

For the past five years, the country of Syria has transformed into a battlefield. Today, no one is truly safe. Terrorist, government, and rebel factions are massacring innocent people, and President Bashar al-Assad is drafting all young men to his security forces. Sammar Smesme exposes the appalling reality of everyday life for Syrians and shares interviews with her cousins—one living near Damascus and the other in a refugee camp.

November 18, 2015

The Plight of Foreign Domestic Workers in the Middle East

November 18, 2015/ Ayla Bitmouni

At last, a breakthrough for foreign domestic workers in the Middle East with the passage of Kuwait's Household Employment Act providing unprecedented legal rights and protections. This initiative taken by Kuwait's National Assembly marks a significant shift from the common disregard of domestic work in the Middle East as a private matter of the home to a recognizable form of labor in need of protection under the law.

October 30, 2015

Turkey In Crisis

October 30, 2015/ Croma Pictures

How did an election outcome that was supposed to have ushered in a new era of democratization and peace, instead lead the state into turmoil? The current violence is the cumulation of two coinciding developments: the rise of autonomous Kurdish territories in Syria, and the rise of the HDP.

May 20, 2015

A Decade in Doha

May 20, 2015/ CMED

Last week in Doha, Qatar, the UCLA Center for Middle East Development concluded its annual Enriching the Middle East’s Economic Future Conference, marking a decade of partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar. Through the hope and drama of the Arab Spring to the devastating conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, to name only a few, the conference has convened for 10 years to analyze, reflect, discuss, and recommend.

February 10, 2015

The Thirst is Real: Water Scarcity and Solutions in the Middle East

February 10, 2015/ Jacob Finn

Although water scarcity is not a new problem for the Middle East, the severity of the issue has only increased with time. This blog post discusses the daunting numbers behind the region's water problem and proposes a twofold solution: regional policy cooperation and the implementation of technological developments.

January 20, 2015

Obama’s Sanctions Dominoes: What Does Cuba Mean for Iran?

January 20, 2015/ Jacob Finn

What does Obama's decision to normalize relations with Cuba mean for another of the US's sanctioned nations, Iran? This article highlights the differences between Cuba and Iran's relationships with the US, and contends that the US will not normalize relations with Iran any time soon based on those differences.

November 25, 2014

Three ثلاثة

November 25, 2014/ Claire Fraisl

An interview with the director and co-producer of “Three,” a short film that provides a glimpse into the lives, desires, and struggles of three Syrian refugees. The film captures the human cost of war and the nuance behind the refugee label.

November 21, 2014

The Tunisian success story?

November 21, 2014/ Tala Ahmadi

Many believe the upcoming presidential election will complete Tunisia’s transition into a functioning democracy after last month’s successful parliamentary elections. However, others have brought these claims into question.

November 19, 2014

Political Twister in Yemen: A Tangle of Arms and Actors

November 19, 2014/ Jacob Finn

If destabilization in Yemen remains the status quo, then the West should be concerned about the increased threat of global terrorism. Who are the political actors and militant groups in the region? What are the implications for continued U.S. financial backing and armed support in Yemen?

November 14, 2014

From Alef to Zed

November 14, 2014/ Cody Saleh

The lingua franca at the Center for Middle East Development is a motley blend of Arabic, Persian, Yiddish and Hebrew representing the languages of our multicultural staff and volunteers. It’s hard not to pick up the slang and idioms because, yani, we can’t always find the words in our native language.

The Middle Easterner

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The Middle Easterner

Voices from the Battlefield: Inside the Syrian Crisis

The Plight of Foreign Domestic Workers in the Middle East

Turkey In Crisis

A Decade in Doha

The Thirst is Real: Water Scarcity and Solutions in the Middle East

Obama’s Sanctions Dominoes: What Does Cuba Mean for Iran?

Three ثلاثة

The Tunisian success story?

Political Twister in Yemen: A Tangle of Arms and Actors

From Alef to Zed

The Middle Easterner