Advocacy and Social Movements

BY JASON HUNG The “bookstore incidents” In January 2018, Hong Kong-based Swedish Chinese publisher, Gui Minhai, was snatched by mainland Chinese authorities in Ningbo, China. Supposedly, Gui was on his way to Sweden’s consulate in Shanghai to renew his Swedish passport. It was the second time Gui went missing in two and a half years. […]

Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) is a member of Saudi Arabia’s swelling youth population. Even as MBS courts favor with his young subjects, his efforts may not meet high expectations for reform.

Mexico’s Andres Manuel López Obrador was a populist candidate. Will he become a populist president?

Newly minted President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi have one year to enact reform on pressing domestic issues, especially utility services and unemployment. If the government fails to implement changes, it may face another series of popular uprisings.

BY RAWAN ZEINE On May 30, 2018, as I sat in my apartment in Cambridge, MA, I scrolled through my Instagram photos of my home, Jordan. Usually, photos with the caption “Jordan is beautiful” are images of Jordan’s nature, heritage, and historical sites. But in May, it was different. The caption “Jordan is beautiful” was an […]

BY BEN MCGUIRE On Friday, May 25, 2018, the Republic of Ireland may be one of the first nations in history to legalize abortion by referendum. If the motion passes—recent polling has tightened to a very close race—Ireland will join much of the world over the last few decades in a trend toward relaxing abortion […]

By VARYA MERUZHANYAN For over a century, April has been a moment of a deafening silence for Armenians. Every year, on April 24, Armenians around the world pause to commemorate the 1.5 million victims of the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire. This year, however, the silence was broken by the loud sounds of vuvuzelas […]

A panel at the Arab Conference at Harvard explored the past, present, and future of the Gaza Strip.

On November 10, panelists at the Arab Conference at Harvard assessed the history and path forward for the Syrian conflict.

Prince Turki al Faisal spoke at the Arab Conference at Harvard on November 10th, insisting that Saudi Arabia stood united, even during a time of major political upheavals in the kingdom.

Youth unemployment is a major driver of radicalization in Tunisia, which supplies more fighters to Syria and Iraq than any other country.

BY BRIAN CHIGLINSKY “I think I’m going to start with Fred.” I nodded. “That makes sense.” Fred was Nathan’s brain tumor. Fred was also a tried and true opener. It was a little weird, grabbed your attention, and then gave you a bridge into the real story about Nathan’s health insurance. Nathan even described Fred […]