Jordan, like much of the rest of the world, has struggled to manage the challenges and difficulties 2020 delivered. The country’s reeling economy was dealt a crippling blow by the closures and restrictions related to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tradeoff between economic prosperity and public health seemed to have initially been worthwhile, as Jordan’s performance in combatting…

We asked Arab citizens across MENA about their preferred US presidential candidate and their opinion of the US. And the results reveal clear preferences within the election. Overall, Arab citizens think Biden’s foreign policies would be better for the region. And, the U.S.’s image suffers, in part as majorities in the Arab world express unfavorable views of Trump’s approach. That is based…

China’s influence across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has steadily been increasing. Seventeen countries have signed documents related to its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Many countries, including Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt, and Iraq have seen dramatic increases in Chinese engagement, leading some to question if they are on the verge of becoming Chinese client states. More recently, China…

Domestic violence is back on the radar in the public spheres across MENA due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, this crisis could serve as an opportunity to transform domestic violence from a private matter to a public concern in Arab countries and a chance to reform unequal gender relations through the elimination of long-standing gender norms. Domestic violence historically…

In the largest survey of its kind ever conducted in the region, the Arab Barometer asked ordinary citizens about their views toward both Iran and Israel. The results reveal that Israel is significantly more widely feared than Iran across the region and that few Arab citizens prefer closer relations between Arab countries and Israel. Overall, in three-quarters of countries surveyed,…