A series of panels discussing the Sixth Wave of the Arab Barometer. The Middle East Institute (MEI) is pleased to hold the second event in a four-part series in cooperation with Arab Barometer, on the occasion of the publication of Arab Barometer’s findings from the sixth wave of its surveys. This most recent poll was conducted in the wake of…

A series of panels discussing the Sixth Wave of the Arab Barometer. The Middle East Institute (MEI) is pleased to announce a four-part series in cooperation with Arab Barometer, on the occasion of the publication of Arab Barometer’s findings from the sixth wave of its surveys. This most recent poll was conducted in the wake of the outbreak of Covid-19,…

“Health cannot be bought at the supermarket,” Hans Rosling once reminded audiences in 2006 when discussing health data and development in countries in the Arab region, among others. The famed physician and former professor of international health at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute continued, “You have to invest in health. You have to get kids into schooling. You have to train health…

In our surveys last fall, China was a clear winner in the competition between great powers for hearts and minds of ordinary citizens in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In all countries surveyed, China was viewed far more favorably than then United States. However, this finding has changed over the past six months, with U.S. favorability increasing dramatically…

Amaney Jamal, the Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics and director of the Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice, has been named dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA).Her appointment is effective Sept. 1. Jamal is a longtime Princeton faculty member, whose research and teaching focuses on the Middle East and North Africa, political…

Efforts to control the spread of covid-19 have prompted governments across the Arab World to pursue aggressive strategies — from closing international borders and imposing curfews, to restricting movement between cities and expanding digital surveillance of citizens. Such measures expose not only the tension between public health safeguards and protecting individual civil liberties; rather, they also reveal the threat of…

As U.S. influence across MENA has decreased in recent years, many regional actors have tried to fill the gap, increasing their military presence in the region. Russia has reemerged as a significant military player in the region while Turkey has heightened not only its military profile, but also its cultural and economic profile as well. At the same time, the…

Of all the crises that have plagued countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the past decade, the COVID-19 pandemic stands out in at least one regard: the government in each country was not its primary cause. Yet managing the pandemic was the government’s primary responsibility, and citizens in several MENA countries have mixed appraisals of how…

COVID 19 is being perceived as a disruptor, an accelerator and an agent for innovation and advancement in various fields across the world. Yet, its impact has been a decelerator for women’s rights and gender equality globally.  The UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed warned that without immediate action, “the pandemic could set back women’s rights by decades”. And, the latest…

Elevating the voices of Arab citizens is at the forefront of what we do at Arab Barometer. And, during uncertain times, listening to the needs and concerns of ordinary people is extremely important. As such, Arab Barometer research network recently completed a unique survey that captures the sentiments of Arab publics amid the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic. However,…