Sisi’s socioeconomic agenda and human rights
There is a common Egyptian proverb, al-Sabru Taieb, which translates to “patience is sweet.” Yes, the Egyptian people are very patient, and they will endure... Read More
Egypt can’t eradicate militancy in north Sinai with force
The only long-term solution is for the Egyptian government to adopt a broadened view of security that takes into account the root causes of armed... Read More
Women and the Arab Spring – a dream turned nightmare
Change must start from within each individual. As quoted in the Quran, “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change... Read More
Freedom in martyrdom
If the Arab leaders want to end the scourge of violent extremism, they must assume some responsibility and not simply blame the West for their... Read More
Can Cairo and Ankara turn a new leaf?
Egyptian-Turkish relations have been soured for some time. While there are no signs of rapprochement on either side, the cycle of dispute should end amid... Read More
The Omani experiment
The Oman of Sultan Qaboos represents a case study of modernization and political development initiated from the top. But unlike the case of Kemal’s Turkey,... Read More
Temperance in the Arab Spring – averting catastrophe through great power politics
The world’s most politically volatile region, the Middle East, has been stabilised through the collective common sense of three Great Powers – the United States,... Read More
There never was an “Arab Spring”
With the top of the leadership pyramid removed, the societies left behind were rife with internal divisions. Without any historical experience, or sufficient wealth to divide... Read More
Egypt’s democratic phantasm
If Egypt now falls into a period of extended civil conflict, this will not be a new phenomenon driven by recently discovered popular democratic impulses.... Read More
The military, in the barracks and in society
By staging a coup, Egypt’s generals have acted against the grain of an era in which militaries have become less involved in politics. That is... Read More
Explosions in Egypt
Democracy is the product of a process; it is not the product of instantaneous results. Egypt – and much of the Middle East – is... Read More
