Women’s exclusion from the workforce in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is a substantial problem. The Middle East has the world’s lowest rates of female labor froce participation — 26 perecent compared to 54 percent worldwide (USAID 2014) — and a gender gap in youth unemployment — 43 percent for females and 25 percent for males (Barnes 2013)….
Arab Barometer
Community-Driven Development and Social Capital: Evidence from Morocco
Community-driven development rests on the principle of development aid through community participation, which is expected to promote pro-social behavior. This paper studies the impact of such a program in Morocco on social capital as measured by economic field experiments. We played a public goods game to measure how much people care about others in the community, an investment game to…
The Desire for Sovereignty — An Explanation of EU Attitudes in the Arab World
A growing body of survey research shows that the European Union (EU) has a relatively benign image around the world, except among Arab populations. What informs Arab citizens’ sceptical attitudes toward the European Union (EU)? Combining literature on Arab public opinion and perceptions of the EU, we argue that Arab citizens’ feelings about the EU are influenced most prominently by…
Coke, Pepsi or Mecca Cola? Why product characteristics affect the likelihood of collective action problems and boycott success
Under what conditions do individuals who profess to boycott products align actual and intended consumption habits? Inconsistency between self-reported participation and practice can help explain why few boycott campaigns harm targets despite high political consumption rates reported in surveys of Americans and Europeans. Arab boycotts are fertile yet unexplored settings in which to assess this proposition. Using data from 820…