Analyses
-
360° Analysis / Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi / Al-Sharif Nassef / Arab Uprisings / Democracy / Egypt / Egyptian Armed Forces / Egyptian Economy / Global Competitiveness Report / Hosni Mubarak / Human Rights / Islamism / June 30 Protests / Mohammed Morsi / Muslim Brotherhood / Politics / SCAF / State of Emergency / Middle East & North AfricaAchieving genuine progress in Egypt does not mean imposing restrictions. If Egyptians were to believe the current local media mantra, the country should currently be basking in a state of revolutionary afterglow since emerging victoriously from our second uprising in nearly as many years to slay the draconian Muslim Brotherhood (read: Islamo-fascist terrorists). The people’s Egyptian Armed Forces saved the nation from a group that shackled Egypt in its quest to achieve democracy and hijacked the revolution to actuate a plan to restore the Islamic Caliphate. To undo the damage that Islamists brought upon Egypt, the current transitional government of technocrats is working hand-in-hand...
-
360° Analysis / Arab Spring / Beji Caid Sebsi / Democracy / Ennahda / Free Patriotic Union Party / freedom of expression / Islamism / National Identity / Politics / Rashid Ghannouchi / Salafism / Secularism / Tunisia / Tunisian Football / UPL / Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali / Middle East & North AfricaBy Leyla DakhliTunisia struggles to define who the bearer of national legitimacy is. This is the last of a two part series. Read part one here. The business world has also made its entrance in this field. “There is no allegiance except to Tunisia” (La wala’illa litunis), say immense billboards in all of Tunis. The formula is strange; the basis of the national flag is an implicit echo of the Muslim profession of faith (there is no god but Allah). Red spots have invaded public space: bus stops and billboards of all sizes, with or without the slogan. This organized and institutionalized form of political posting, outside of an election campaign period, is striking. Also visible are the...
-
China / desertification / DMZ / DPRK / ecosystem / Emanuel Pastreich / Environment / FPIF / North Korea / obama / Pyongyang / South Korea / Focus Article / Asia Pacific / EnvironmentIn North Korea, the threat of desertification should be raised to the same level as nuclear nonproliferation. By Emanuel Pastreich There is a terrible danger lurking just over the DMZ that threatens the Republic of Korea and Northeast Asia. This threat demands an immediate response that is focused and forceful, as well as a long-term strategy that will bring together all members of the international community for a campaign dedicated to the permanent containment of this threat. It is not North Korea’s Taepodong ICBM systems, nor its Musudan or Nodong missiles that I have in mind. Nor do I refer to the nuclear weapons that were recently tested as part of Pyongyang’s high-...
-
360° Analysis / Honky Tonk / Johnny Cash Show / musicians per capita USA / Nashville / Nashville music scene / North America / Rock Music / Sarah Rowland / Tennessee / Third Man Records / United States / CultureNashville’s legendary status as America’s cradle of music remains unchallenged. "I walked into a world where everyone wants the same thing – the teachers you have, the lady that cuts your hair, the guy selling you jeans at the mall – every single one of them has a story of how they've moved here to play music,” says Steven Darden, an aspiring musician and Nashville, Tennessee native. Indeed, this is the absolute essence of “Music City” – a place overflowing with dreamers and believers. It is impossible to stroll down Broadway Street, famous as a place for creating early musical beginnings, without seeing hopeful artists...
-
360° Analysis / Alaa Al-Eryani / Arab Uprisings / Benjamin Wiacek / Campaign / Democracy / Divorce / Divorce Laws / Facebook / feminism / Islam / Politics / Traditionalism / Women's rights / Yemen / Yemeni Feminist Movement / Yemeni Society / Middle East & North AfricaThe issue of women's rights does not only concern women, but the whole of Yemeni society. Benjamin Wiacek speaks to Alaa Al-Eryani, a Yemeni women’s rights activist, who launched a page on Facebook dedicated to the Yemeni Feminist Movement. She talks to Wiacek about her initiative and dedication, and shares her insights on the situation of women in Yemen. Benjamin Wiacek: What is the Yemeni Feminist Movement? Alaa Al-Eryani: It is an intellectual movement that focuses on women’s rights and aims to improve the status of women in Yemen through promoting gender equality and opposing discrimination. This is addressed to everyone: women who are in denial and need awareness,...
-
360° Analysis / Administration / CESE / Decentralization / Democracy / Economic Social Environmental Council / Jean AbiNader / King Mohammed VI / Libya / Local Governance / Maghreb / Morocco / Politics / Regionalization / Tourism / Tunisia / Middle East & North AfricaMorocco should focus on the details for effective regionalization. I have previously written about the initial report of the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (CESE) in Morocco, which has been charged to assess the necessary conditions to implement regionalization in the southern provinces and eventually the entire country. I have detailed its major findings and procedures, discussed the roles of various stakeholders, and probed for likely priorities in preparing Morocco for regionalization. With the anticipated final report due before the end of the year, it is a good time to reflect on what is involved in regionalization, once it is defined in law. Regionalization and...
-
360° Analysis / Anwar Akhtar / Balakot Project / British Pakistanis / Civil society / development / Edhi Foundation / Elections / Pakistan / Pakistan Calling / Pakistani Diaspora / PK Calling / RSA / The Samosa / Europe / Global Change / Central & South AsiaBy Anwar AkhtarWhat is the biggest challenge facing Pakistan? This is the last of a two part series. Read part one here. In a conversation with Fair Observer's Nishtha Chugh, the Director of The Samosa, Anwar Akhtar, discusses the origins of Pakistan Calling: a film project in collaboration with the Royal Society of Arts that shows links between civil and cultural organizations in Pakistan and the UK. Nishtha Chugh: So your program is, for example, going to go to Pakistan, collaborate with role models like Asma Jahangir, Hina Jilani, and then where is the filming going to take place? Anwar Akhtar: We work with Karachi University film school; we work with SZABIST University film school; we work with...
-
360° Analysis / Food Security / Foodshed development / Local Food Movement / North America / right to food / EnvironmentCitizen advocates of the “right to food” are using democratic roots to create local food security. As the local food movement, or, more properly stated, local food movements have taken root in the U.S. during recent years, advocates have discovered the need to express this evolving “locus focus” in new ways. Despite its multiple uses and fuzzy boundaries, “foodshed” is a valuable part of our lexicon in moving forward. It can provide vision and cohesion; in fact, it may be less a geographical entity than a form of civic action. From Farm to Plate Local food systems in the US - including diversified, appropriately-scaled agriculture, as well as...
-
360° Analysis / Arab Spring / Arab Uprisings / Egypt / feminism / Gender / Ideology / Islamism / Mohammed Morsi / Muslim Brotherhood / NGO / Politics / Religion / Secular / Tradition / Transformation / Wanda Krause / Women's Activism / Women's rights / Middle East & North AfricaBy Wanda KrauseSecular and Islamist discourse in Egypt share a core essence of masculine dominance. Egypt and the wider Middle East are undergoing major change following revolutions. But what is the best way to plan for and navigate the future? A number of post-Arab Spring political and strategic analyses have managed to move beyond a focus on the state to identify trends in order to propose solutions. Among the significant trends, changes can be seen within ideology — which is borne not merely at the state but also at the grassroots level. But the attention given to what can be leveraged or rather contained is misplaced. Some of these works are pointing to the grassroots level but are superficially...