WATCH: Syrian Pianist Malek Jandali – “We Need Freedom for True Art”

When Syrians took to the streets in March 2011, they rebelled not only against the ruling Assad family, but also against the obscurantism that had been imposed on them for decades. Art as a whole, and music in particular, have ...
by Syria Untold
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International Political Forum

The Dirty Politics Of Oil In Iraq

Sectarian violence and rampant extremism are pushing Iraq perilously close to the brink of civil war. As the government rains down airstrikes on the Anbar province, attempting to regain control over the militant-controlled town...
by Richard Corlett
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Confessing The Sins Of Consociationalism: Democracy in Lebanon

Lebanon has been debating the creation of a new electoral system since the end of its civil war in 1990, but with new elections scheduled for 2014, the country needs to reach a decision on how it plans to reform group represent...
by Hugh Oberlander
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International Political Forum

Iran and the Arab Uprisings

Ever since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has tried to cast itself as the head of the radical camp in the Middle East. Iran’s foreign policy did not lose its revolutionary zeal through the years. Iranian support for radical mov...
by Maged Mandour
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Egyptian Politics: Between the Immature and the Unorganized

The recent tragedy unfolding in Egypt in the aftermath of the recent presidential decree is a critical sign of Egyptian politics’ immaturity. An immaturity due not only to the youth of the democracy that is taking shape in Eg...
by Mohamed Belarbi
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International Political Forum

The Man with the Gun

As the political crisis in Egypt deepens and anger spreads from Cairo to the different Egyptian governorates, the attention of citizens has turned towards the Egyptian Armed Forces. Some are now hoping that a coup will end not ...
by Maged Mandour
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How Far Will One Woman Go To Uncover The Mysteries Of Honour Killings?

When Amy Logan first learned that Druze women and girls live in fear of honor killing, she herself was involved in a physically and verbally abusive relationship. She found herself identifying profoundly with these women, and...
by Priyanka Mogul
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Pragmatic Politics And The Debate Over Torture

In international law there are two absolute forbidden acts: genocide, and torture. However, the way academia approaches the two issues is strikingly different. Genocide is taught as an absolute wrong: that it is an act of ultim...
by James Hopkins
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Saudi Succession Crisis: The Political Power Struggles Inside The House Of Saud

The Saudi succession crisis recently had overshadowed the century-old House of Saud since the incumbent ruler, 90 year-old King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, had been hospitalized due to ‘deteriorating’ health conditions. On the ...
by Shafiy Mazlan
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