Argument
A Movement Cut Short
Amid new crackdowns and the threat of war, Iranians, both in Iran and across the diaspora, are asking why the Woman, Life, Freedom movement failed and the Islamic Republic endures. Their hopes for change depend on an organized and effectively led political alternative that has yet to emerge.
The Crescent Wars
Controversy over how to determine the dates of Ramadan and Eid has long been framed as being about the science of astronomical calculation versus religious traditionalism. Yet this fails to capture the legal heart of the question, and obscures the politics of what I like to call the “Crescent Wars.”
How Henry Kissinger Bungled the Arab Oil Embargo
Most public debate about Kissinger’s legacy has concerned the morality of his “realism.” Yet examining his approach to U.S.-Saudi relations at a key moment reveals little strategic thinking and more of an ad hoc style, influenced by deep ideological values and a naive understanding of the Middle East.
A Last Gasp for the Peace Process in Turkey
While political repression and violent conflict have intensified since 2015, the 2023 general election and the departure of Selahattin Demirtas, the imprisoned leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, were a turning point. The retreat of Turkey’s Kurds from formal politics portends an intensification of the conflict in the months ahead.
The Statements We’re Obliged To Make Tend To Be False
If something has to be said, and said in public, there’s a decent chance that it’s a lie. Think of history’s favorite shibboleths: separate but equal; the war to end all wars; we value your privacy. Yet when these pronouncements are made, they also offer a shortcut to the truth.
The Long Debate Over Black Artistry Behind ‘American Fiction’
Can’t Black writers write what they want to write in the 21st century? In the world of Percival Everett’s 2001 “Erasure,” the answer was no. In 2023, with the novel’s adaptation into the movie “American Fiction,” the answer is still no.
The Curious Case of the Kerman Attacks
The Iranian authorities appeared confused about whom to blame for the Kerman attacks. There is little evidence or precedent for their claim that Israel is likely to have been behind them, but the regime remains hopeful that Iranians will draw together in a response of national unity.