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Stanford Scholars Examine Khashoggi's Assassination and the Saudi Crackdown on Dissent
In a panel discussion titled “The Khashoggi Affair and Saudi Arabia’s War Against Dissent,” Stanford University scholars examined the context for of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and implications of his murder for U.S.-Saudi relations.
Failed Dream of Political Islam
Islamism has imitated, or colluded with, the state autocracies it claims to oppose. It has failed to suggest its own answers to economic problems, social justice, education or corruption, writes Hicham Alaoui in Le Monde diplomatique.
ARD 2018 Annual Conference Examines Dynamics of Governance and Political Participation in the MENA Region
Under the title “Political Contestation and New Social Forces in the Middle East and North Africa,” the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy convened its 2018 annual conference on April 27 and 28 at Stanford University.
Voices from Syria Narrate Stories of Revolution and Conflict
How can we make sense of the tragedy in Syria? Northwestern University political scientist Wendy Pearlman has conducted open-ended interviews with more than 300 displaced Syrians across the Middle East and Europe from 2012 to 2017. She has brought together these personal stories in the acclaimed new book, We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria (HarperCollins 2017).
ARD Scholar Examines Labor Activism in Sisi's Egypt
In a talk dated October 24, 2017, CDDRL Senior Research Scholar Amr Hamzawy shared his ongoing research on the challenges that labor activists confront in Egypt’s post-2013 authoritarian environment. Titled “Labor Activism under Egypt’s New Authoritarianism,” the talk examined the various administrative, security, legislative, and judicial tools that the regime of Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi has employed to undermine labor activism. The event featured Stanford Professor of History Joel Beinin, who served as discussant.
Bassem Youssef Joins ARD as a Visiting Scholar
The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at Stanford’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) is pleased to welcome international media figure and Egyptian political satirist Bassem Youssef as a visiting scholar during the Fall of 2016. Dubbed the Jon Stewart of the Arab World, Youssef was the host of the popular TV political satire show Al-Bernameg, which was the first of its kind in the Middle East region.
Georgetown scholar analyzes the internal workings of authoritarianism in the Arab world [VIDEO]
As part of the Program on Arab and Reform and Democracy speaker series, Georgetown Scholar Joseph Sassoon discussed his recently released book in a talk on April 13, 2016. Titled Anatomy of Authoritarianism in the Arab Republics, the book examines the system of authoritarianism in eight Arab republics. It portrays life under these regimes and explores the mechanisms underpinning their resilience.
Kuwait scholar examines the impact of oil on urban life in Kuwait [VIDEO]
In a talk dated April 20, 2016, American University of Kuwait Scholar Farah Al-Nakib discussed her recently released book Kuwait Transformed: A History of Oil and Urban Life (Stanford University Press, 2016). The book traces the relationships between the urban landscape, patterns and practices of everyday life, and social behaviors and relations in Kuwait, from its settlement in 1716 through the bridge of oil discovery to the twenty-first century.
Visiting scholar remarks on ridiculing of civilian politics in Egypt
In a recent piece in Jadaliyya Magazine, Program on Arab Reform and Democracy Visiting Scholar Amr Hamzawy comments on the growing social discontent with failtures of the military-backed regime in Egypt.
Egyptian visiting scholar examines political economy of the Arab world
The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at Stanford’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) is pleased to welcome Egyptian economist Samer Atallah as a visiting scholar for the 2015-16 academic year. Atallah has taught economics at the American University in Cairo (AUC) since 2011, and his work focuses on development economics and political economy of democratization.
Former minister of industry of Tunisia discusses country's democratic transition [VIDEO]
As part of a talk titled "Tunisia's Pathway to Democracy," former Tunisian Ministry of Industry, Energy, and Mines Kamel Ben Naceur spoke at the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy on March 2, 2016 about his experience in the 2014 technocratic government, which was tasked with helping bring the country's democratic transition back on track after a period of political turbulence. Mr.
Bassam Haddad Analyzes the Root Causes and Dynamics of the Syrian Uprising [VIDEO]
As part of the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy's speaker series, George Mason University scholar Bassam Haddad explained the roots and dynamics of the tragic Syrian uprising, with particular attention to its background and to the recent Russian intervention, in a talk dated January 22, 2016. After nearly five years since the start of the
Stanford Scholar Examines Sectarianism and Urban Segregation in Baghdad [VIDEO]
As part of the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy speaker series, Director of The Markaz: Resource Center Mona Damluji examined the impact of the US-led occupation of Iraq on sectarian-based urban segregation in Baghdad.
Scholars Examine Egypt’s Political Landscape on the Eve of the January 25 Revolution’s 5th Anniversary [VIDEO]
To mark five years since the onset of the January 25 Revolution, five Egypt scholars examined the evolving political landscape in Egypt as part of a panel titled “The Containment of Politics in Egypt,” organized by the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD).
Visiting scholar shares thoughts on politics in Egypt and move to America
In a Q and A with The Stanford Daily, CDDRL Program on Arab Reform and Democracy Visiting Scholar Amr Hamzawy remarks on his time in the Egyptian parliament and the factors that led him and his family to leave the country for America.
Military approach will not work in Syria, says former Stanford scholar
On November 17, CDDRL’s Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) hosted Lina Khatib, a senior research associate with the Arab Reform Initiative, for a special talk on the Syrian crisis. Khatib was a co-founder of the ARD Program and managed its research agenda for four years before leaving CDDRL to lead the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut.
Former Egyptian MP Amr Hamzawy speaks on shifts in liberal thought in Egypt
On October 27, CDDRL's Program on Arab Reform and Democracy welcomed former Egyptian Member of Parliament Amr Hamzawy, who shared his thoughts on recent shifts in liberal thought in Egypt over the past several years.
ARD welcomes Egyptian intellectual Amr Hamzawy as a visiting scholar
The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy at Stanford’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law is pleased to welcome Egyptian academic and Former Member of Parliament Amr Hamzawy as a visiting scholar for the 2015-16 academic year.
Bassem Youssef on politics and satire
Hosted by the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy at CDDRL, Bassem Youssef spoke on politics and satire with the Stanford community on Monday, September 28. Youssef, famously known as the Jon Stewart of the Arab world, reflected on his journey to fame and the challenges he encountered in launching his award winning show Al-Bernameg.
Noura Erakat analyzes the political and legal contexts of the 2014 Gaza war [VIDEO]
As part of the Arab Reform and Democracy Program's speaker series, George Mason University scholar Noura Erakat examined the political and legal contexts for the 2014 Gaza war. In July and August of 2014, hostilities in the Gaza Strip left 2,131 Palestinians and 71 Israelis dead, including 501 Palestinian children and one Israeli child.
GWU scholar examines links between neoliberalism and Islamic charity in Egypt [VIDEO]
As part of the Arab Reform and Democracy Program's speaker series, George Washington University scholar Mona Atia discussed her book Building a House in Heaven: Pious Neoliberalism and Islamic Charity in Egypt. Islamic charities occupied a critical space in Mubarak-era Egypt.
Ben Ahmed examines the challenge of youth alienation in the Tunisian transition [VIDEO]
As part of the Arab Reform and Democracy Program's speaker series, Executive Director of the Mediterranean Development Initiative Ghazi Ben Ahmed examined the challenge of youth alienation in the context of the Tunisian transition. Social and economic grievances of Tunisian youth played a major role in igniting the uprising in Tunisia, and more generally, the so-called Arab Spring.
UCSB historian revisits Egypt's 1977 bread uprising [VIDEO]
As part of the Arab Reform and Democracy Program's speaker series, UC Santa Barbara Historian Sherene Seikaly discusses her research on Egypt's 1977 bread intifada. A return to the historical moment of the “Bread Intifada,” of 1977 interrupts the narrative resilience of the alternating sleep and wakefulness of the Egyptian, and more broadly the Arab people.
Paul Amar examines social militarization in Egypt and Brazil [VIDEO]
As part of the Arab Reform and Democracy Program's speaker series, UC Santa Barbara Political Scientist Paul Amar discussed his book The Security Archipelago, winner of the 2014 Charles Taylor Book Award of the American Political Science Association.