Good To Know: The Eurovision Song Contest Alexandra Guisinger - May 7, 2024 Why Eurovision is a model of the best and worst of international cooperation.
Welcome the Good Authority fellows! Kim Yi Dionne and John Sides - April 16, 2024 Meet our six new fellows.
Why U.S. data forms are adding new race and ethnicity options Amanda Sahar d’Urso - April 5, 2024 Many Americans welcome the shift in how the government tallies people of Hispanic/Latino and MENA descent.
Can the U.S. pressure Israel to end the war? Jeremy Pressman - February 12, 2024 The U.S. government has a long history of trying to restrain Israel, with mixed success.
What to expect from the UN in the Israel-Hamas war Erik Voeten - February 1, 2024 The UN will have to overcome deep distrust among Israelis.
Did Biden have the authority to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen? Andrew Rudalevige - January 30, 2024 Let’s look at the Constitution, the War Powers Resolution, and what might authorize or constrain military action.
Why global commerce is now in the crossfire Bruce Jones - January 11, 2024 From the Red Sea to the Baltic and the Pacific, geopolitics are putting global commerce at risk.
Five things that didn’t happen in the world in 2023 Elizabeth N. Saunders - December 22, 2023 We missed some breakthroughs, but we dodged some disasters.
A closer look at the Gaza casualty data Marc Lynch and Sarah Parkinson - December 14, 2023 Casualty counts can be a political tool – and how we report the data has real consequences.
Putin’s Russia navigates Middle East conflict and war in Ukraine Joshua Tucker, Samuel Greene, and Kathryn Stoner - November 6, 2023 Two experts discuss the broader impact of the Israel-Hamas war.
What India is saying about the Israel-Hamas war Christopher Clary and Shubha Kamala Prasad - November 2, 2023 Can India balance support for Israel with its long-standing commitment to Palestine?
Will protests over the Israel-Hamas war shift U.S. policy? Marc Lynch, Jeremy Pressman, and Jay Ulfelder - October 27, 2023 Two experts share their insights on the growing number of U.S. protest events.
What political scientists know about occupation, applied to Gaza Elizabeth N. Saunders, Diana Greenwald, Dana El Kurd, David Edelstein, and Alexander Downes - October 24, 2023 Experts on the politics of foreign occupations tackle big questions in this week’s Good Chat.
How should we think about a mass exodus of Palestinians from Gaza? Elizabeth N. Saunders and Kelly M. Greenhill - October 20, 2023 Governments and non-state actors use mass migration as a tool of war.
The ICC is investigating violence in Israel and Palestine Kelebogile Zvobgo - October 18, 2023 Israel doesn’t recognize the court’s jurisdiction – but it should.
Biden will visit Israel during a war. That’s unprecedented. Elizabeth N. Saunders - October 17, 2023 The humanitarian crisis and escalation fears heighten uncertainty.
Will the Hamas attack on Israel lead to a broader regional war? Elizabeth N. Saunders and Austin Carson - October 12, 2023 Even bitter adversaries have tools to control escalation.
Gaza and Israel: Five things to watch Marc Lynch - October 9, 2023 Here’s what you need to know following Saturday’s attack by Hamas.
Why does Biden want Saudi-Israeli normalization so badly? Marc Lynch - September 20, 2023 The Abraham Accords may define a new regional order.
What Middle East scholars really think about boycotting Israel Shibley Telhami and Marc Lynch - November 22, 2022 The latest Middle East Scholars Barometer survey explored this contentious issue — and more
Why Qatar’s World Cup was controversial a decade before the first game Paul Michael Brannagan and Danyel Reiche - November 14, 2022 Global sports put Qatar’s human rights record in the spotlight. That’s likely to continue — and may have prompted changes in the country.
Was Seoul’s deadly Halloween crush preventable? Darcie Draudt - November 1, 2022 The Itaewon district’s history may have contributed to dangerous governance gaps — and less safety oversight
This is the most important election of your lifetime. Or is it? Curtis Bram - October 28, 2022 If you think the election will make a big difference, you’re 30 percent more likely to vote than if you do not, my research finds
In the Middle East and North Africa, people are worrying about food Michael Robbins and Amaney Jamal - October 6, 2022 Five things to know from Arab Barometer’s latest survey
The U.S. killed al-Qaeda’s leader. That might boost terrorism. Jenna Jordan - August 9, 2022 ‘Leadership decapitation’ can inspire Islamist extremist groups and followers to carry out more attacks, my research finds
50 years ago, Uganda ordered its entire Asian population to leave Meghan Garrity - August 4, 2022 A new data set explores mass expulsions around the world
Can the NPT fulfill its promise to eliminate nuclear weapons? J. Luis Rodriguez - August 1, 2022 Latin American countries will push again for nuclear disarmament at this month’s review conference
Thousands of nontraditional fighters have joined the Ukraine war Katherine Kramer and Andrew Bell - July 26, 2022 That puts civilians at risk, research shows
Arab citizens know democracy’s not perfect. They want it anyway. Michael Robbins - July 20, 2022 That’s what Arab Barometer finds in its latest wave of surveys across 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa
Will Israel further normalize relations with its Arab neighbors? Dana El Kurd - July 10, 2022 My research finds that closer ties with Israel means Arab regimes have new tools to repress their own citizens.
It’s risky for Biden to go to the Middle East Shibley Telhami - July 6, 2022 Fewer than one-quarter of Americans approve of the president’s mid-July trip, our survey found
Iraq’s populist leader quit parliament. What happens now? Renad Mansour and Benedict Robin-D’Cruz - June 21, 2022 Rallying anti-establishment protests strengthened Muqtada al-Sadr’s hand in the past. It might not work now.
How the Ukraine crisis could make the Syrian civil war worse Tiina Hyyppä and Aaron Pilkington - May 23, 2022 Shifting Russian troops away from Syria risks opening up new threats
Americans see Afghan and Ukrainian refugees very differently. Why? Scott Williamson, Melina Platas, Lauren Prather, Claire Adida, and Adeline Lo - April 28, 2022 But research suggests some approaches can help communities successfully absorb all kinds of refugees
What rising oil prices tell us about the oil market’s geopolitics Inwook Kim - April 11, 2022 It’s not all about the war in Ukraine
Ukraine war has side effects on Middle East geopolitics Shibley Telhami and Marc Lynch - April 10, 2022 Here’s what our 2022 survey of Middle East scholars found.
Ukrainians are rallying global support via social media. But don’t call it a TikTok war. Jen Schradie - March 23, 2022 Here’s what my research finds
European countries are welcoming Ukrainian refugees. It was a different story in 2015. Lamis Abdelaaty - March 23, 2022 It’s not merely a shared ‘Europeanness,’ this research finds
The Ukraine conflict has Persian Gulf monarchies hedging their bets Cinzia Bianco - March 14, 2022 Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates haven’t been aligning with the U.S. — or Russia
Turkey announced it would regulate warship access to the Black Sea. Does that change Russia’s strategy? Howard Eissenstat - March 1, 2022 Turkey’s diplomatic balancing act may be behind this move
The German economy depends on Russian gas. There’s a long history behind that. Marina E. Henke - February 18, 2022 What happens now to the Nord Stream 2 project?
The conflict over Ukraine is a conflict over international order. That makes it nearly impossible to resolve. Bear Braumoeller - January 31, 2022 Why are two world powers so intent on controlling Ukraine?
Turkey’s president insists on low interest rates. That could cost him politically, this research shows. David Steinberg - January 12, 2022 As Turkey slashed interest rates last year, the value of the Turkish lira plummeted
The Belarus border crisis shows it’s getting easier to ‘weaponize’ refugees Sigrid Lupieri - November 21, 2021 Countries like Belarus are counting on E.U. governments to see refugees as a security threat
Are coups really contagious? Salah Ben Hammou and Jonathan Powell - November 21, 2021 The international reaction to a coup attempt may matter more than you think
Many Libyans already dismiss next month’s elections as illegitimate Wolfram Lacher and Emadeddin Badi - November 16, 2021 No prominent candidates appear to have support across Libya’s regional and political divisions.
Morocco’s Islamist party just lost power. So why is it turning to its old leader? Patrick S. Snyder - November 14, 2021 The king had dismissed Abdelilah Benkirane, who had mastered the art of blaming the king for his government’s failures
Thousands of Eritreans fled repression at home. Many got caught up in Ethiopia’s fighting. Shannon Golden, Sarah Peters, Liyam Eloul, and Craig Higson-Smith - November 3, 2021 Past trauma and new threats are taking a toll on refugees’ mental health
Sudan’s military coup seems to be supported by some civilian politicians. That’s happened before. Salah Ben Hammou - October 24, 2021 The military has now dissolved the joint civilian-military government.
Tunisia has its first-ever female prime minister. That’s not as good for democracy as it sounds. Sivan Hirsch-Hoefler, Lihi Ben Shitrit, and Julia Elad-Strenger - October 12, 2021 Around the world, would-be authoritarians have been ‘pinkwashing’ policies that undermine democracy. Our research finds that it works.
How did 9/11 change South Asian Americans’ identities and politics? Sangay Mishra - September 17, 2021 Being targets of racial and religious hatred unified them behind the Democrats
Academic experts believe that Middle East politics are actually getting worse Shibley Telhami and Marc Lynch - September 16, 2021 Nearly two-thirds of our recent survey group think the Israeli-Palestinian situation is akin to apartheid
20 years later, America’s ‘War on Terror’ language has gone global Somdeep Sen and John Collins - September 9, 2021 Right-wing governments and movements often use these words to justify authoritarian and racist policies.
20 years after 9/11, the U.S. is again in a great power confrontation James Goldgeier - September 9, 2021 The end of the Cold War scrambled U.S. foreign policy — and then 9/11 scrambled it again. Here’s what remains the same.
The U.S. is more racially diverse than ever. Will people of color unify politically? Efrén Pérez - August 30, 2021 African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos have very different concerns — until you remind them of their common experiences as people of color
Last month, three drones attacked an Israeli tanker. Here’s why that’s something new. James Rogers - August 18, 2021 Will Iran’s ‘shadow war’ slip into the open?
Hobby Lobby’s owner returned thousands of artifacts to Iraq. How did he get them in the first place? Daniel Klerman and Anja Shortland - August 9, 2021 Once it was easy to collect gray-market antiquities. Things have tightened up.
Tunisia’s president launched a political crisis. Is it a coup? Nicholas J. Lotito - July 28, 2021 Sunday’s move started a fight for public approval and control of government institutions
A Florida security company is entangled in the assassination of Haiti’s president. How is that possible? Deborah Avant - July 19, 2021 An increasing number of clients and providers in the private security market are dodging the rules
Iraqis protest deadly hospital fires as symptom of embedded corruption Renad Mansour - July 19, 2021 Demands for a stable electricity supply also raise the stakes in this fall’s election
Can Mauritians save a democracy in trouble? Suhaylah Peeraullee and Louis Amédée Darga - June 24, 2021 In Afrobarometer surveys, citizens report declining trust in the country’s institutions
We know one thing about Iran’s new president, even before this week’s election. He won’t be a reformer. Hossein Mahdavi - June 17, 2021 The consolidation of power within the Revolutionary Guard leaves little room for opposition politicians
How do you persuade skeptics to get vaccinated? Trust matters more than information. Pauline Jones and Laura Rozek - June 10, 2021 That’s what we found by surveying more than 15 countries in five world regions
Why do some Muslim-majority countries support China’s crackdown on Muslims? Jonathan Hoffman - May 3, 2021 Western countries have condemned the repression in Xinjiang, but Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt praised China’s efforts to restore ‘safety and security’
The U.S. formally recognized the Armenian genocide. Why now, a century later? Ryan Gingeras - April 24, 2021 This move signals a shift in the U.S. relationship with Turkey
Did the Boulder shooting count as White male violence? Depends on how you define White. Amanda Sahar d’Urso - April 7, 2021 Here’s the history behind why U.S. law classifies people from the Middle East as White.
The best way to help Yemenis survive might not be what aid organizations think R. Joseph Huddleston, Harshana Ghoorhoo, and David Wood - April 5, 2021 Struggling households throughout Yemen access food and services in surprising ways, our research finds.
Jordan detained a prince. The government’s determined to squash political dissent. Jillian Schwedler - April 5, 2021 Criticizing the king is considered an act of terrorism
China and Iran announced a new economic and security partnership. That’s not as alarming as it sounds. Lucille Greer and Esfandyar Batmanghelidj - March 31, 2021 China has similar deals with a number of Middle Eastern countries
Big ships were created to avoid relying on the Suez Canal Laleh Khalili - March 26, 2021 Ironically, in 2021 a big ship blocked the canal, disrupting global shipping.
Israel will hold national elections on Tuesday. Here’s a guide for the totally unfamiliar. Noa Balf - March 20, 2021 Don’t expect a stable governing coalition
Reviving the Iran nuclear deal requires tackling these three issues Henry Rome and Eric Brewer - March 18, 2021 But winding back Iran’s nuclear program and Trump-era sanctions won’t be easy
Saudi Twitter blew up with support for the crown prince. How much of it is genuine? Andrew Leber and Alexei Abrahams - March 8, 2021 Tweets in support of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman racked up after a U.S. report implicated him in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi
Biden may be getting rid of the Authorizations for the Use of Military Force. That deserves a ‘Whoa.’ Andrew Rudalevige - March 6, 2021 The possibility of addressing the legal framework for the war on terror is big news.
Saudi-led attacks devastated Yemen’s civilian infrastructure, dramatically worsening the humanitarian crisis Jeannie Sowers and Erika Weinthal - February 21, 2021 New data takes stock of the targeting of agriculture, fisheries, health care, energy and other facilities
Here’s how experts on the Middle East see the region’s key issues, our new survey finds Shibley Telhami and Marc Lynch - February 16, 2021 We asked about their views on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Iran’s nuclear program and more
Alexei Navalny’s return to Russia — and his arrest — have upended Russian politics Joshua Tucker - January 27, 2021 What’s happening in the country, part 2.
Ten years in, Tunisian democracy remains a work in progress Sharan Grewal - January 14, 2021 Despite the country’s initial success, these three factors stand in the way of democratic consolidation.
Saudi Arabia just lifted Qatar’s 43-month blockade. How did this rift end? Coates Ulrichsen - January 8, 2021 A new agreement appears to cover these three points
These were our 10 most popular posts of 2020 E.J. Graff - December 31, 2020 Readers were very interested in elections, successions, and a virus we hadn’t heard of just a year ago.
Syria and some host governments want refugees to go home. What do refugees think? Marine Casalis, Daniel Masterson, and Ala’ Alrababa’h - December 23, 2020 Research suggests this pressure won’t convince Syria’s 5.5 million refugees to return
How the assassination of an Iranian scientist could affect nuclear negotiations with Iran Farzan Sabet - December 11, 2020 Fakhrizadeh’s death potentially complicates a path back to a nuclear deal and follow-up agreements.
Reviving the Iran nuclear deal will be harder than it looks Henry Rome - November 22, 2020 Politics in the region — and in the United States — have changed since 2015
Huawei has an advantage in its push for global dominance. Now the U.S. is trying to counter it. Jordan Link - November 19, 2020 USAID announced a financing plan to help countries buy from other telecom vendors
What do ordinary Arabs think about normalizing relations with Israel? Dana El Kurd - October 25, 2020 Our research suggests many oppose normalization but may be reluctant to say so
Why Gulf nations are normalizing ties with Israel Jonathan Hoffman - September 24, 2020 Bahrain is the latest Arab nation to recognize Israel
Greek and Turkish ships are playing chicken at sea. There’s already been one crash. Rachel Esplin Odell and Annelle Sheline - September 12, 2020 Here’s why international law doesn’t offer clear-cut solutions
There’s more to Belarus’s ‘Telegram Revolution’ than a cellphone app Tetyana Lokot, Olga Onuch, Mariëlle Wijermars, and Aliaksandr Herasimenka - September 10, 2020 New surveys show protesters had to be creative to share information.
The State Department says the Chinese Communist Party controls Chinese companies. It’s not that simple. Meg Rithmire - September 7, 2020 State-funded Chinese firms at times actually subvert Beijing’s interests.
Another unity government won’t solve Lebanon’s crisis Christiana Parreira - August 20, 2020 Research shows ideologically opposed parties rarely share power well
How a global shipping loophole left a potentially dangerous cargo in Beirut Lena Obermaier and Lauranne Duffaut - August 19, 2020 ‘Flags of convenience’ can leave ships and their owners with little regulatory oversight
What happens now to Lebanon’s government? Here’s why real reforms may be unlikely. Bassel Salloukh - August 17, 2020 The Aug. 4 explosion may be unable to shift the power structure.
Russia’s disinformation campaigns are targeting African Americans Žilvinas Švedkauskas, Michel Salzer, and Chonlawit Sirikupt - July 23, 2020 Russia is masking its involvement by outsourcing its disinformation operations to West Africa
Europe’s new privacy ruling will help fragment the global economy Daniel S. Hamilton - July 22, 2020 Companies may soon scramble to shift certain kinds of data from the U.S. to the E.U.
Has Israel been sabotaging Iran? Here’s what we know. Dalia Dassa Kaye - July 15, 2020 Four reasons Israel might be waging its shadow war more overtly — which could backfire.
Why didn’t the U.S. rebuke Russia for its Taliban bounty deal? Four things to know. Asfandyar Mir - July 1, 2020 The Trump administration’s response seems unusual, on a number of levels
How will China respond when low-income countries can’t pay their debts? Scott Wingo - June 30, 2020 Expect to see some leeway — but probably not forgiveness
U.S. officials are talking about urban warfare. Here’s what urban warfare really involves. Margarita Konaev and Kirstin J.H. Brathwaite - June 4, 2020 How do you ‘mass and dominate the battlespace’ in a U.S. city?
China’s making inroads in the Middle East. The Trump administration isn’t happy. Jonathan Fulton - June 2, 2020 But U.S. pressure to reject China could bring out a great power rivalry in the region
Will lingering suspicions undermine public support for South Sudan’s peace? Prabin Khadka and Nicholas Haas - May 15, 2020 Here’s why leaders’ endorsements of peace policies can backfire