Middle East
Foreign Policy is Key to Democrats’ Outreach to Arab Americans
A popular refrain in the Arab American community during the campaign was that at least Trump didn’t start any wars in the Middle East, unlike Obama. Voters I spoke with pointed to this as a reason for not supporting Democratic candidates both during the primaries and general election.
Remembering a Palestine No Longer There
For many of us, the “Palestine” we have grown attached to is simply not there waiting for us. Just as some Palestinian refugees still cling on to the heavy, rusty keys of homes they were expelled from in 1948, hoping to return some day and find life as they left it, we all adhere to an idea that is just as illusory today.
A Place for LGBTQ Rights in the Arab World?
Governments in the region vary in their disregard for human rights in general — and LGBTQ rights in particular — and they all participate in disseminating homophobia through policies and the persecution of the LGBTQ community.
Israel to Biden: Tehran Can Wait
The U.S. and Iran are set on a course for renegotiating the 2015 nuclear deal. While reporting, I found that Israelis see a lot of room to maneuver, particularly in light of Arab countries’ normalization with Israel.
The Coming Turkish-Iranian Confrontation
It is true that at present the Turks and the Iranians are playing nice with each other, but these are ephemeral moments; their respective imperatives will lead them to collide with one another regardless of their subjective preferences.
Hip Hop Finds Its Groove in North Africa
North African rappers and emcees are boldly approaching hip-hop and the larger Arabic music landscape by exploring taboo themes and proactively deconstructing societal markers of North African identity.
In Treatment: Therapy in the Middle East Needs a Non-Western Approach
The convention under Western psychology is to treat a client as solely responsible for their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. By contrast, in collectivist societies the “Self” is usually treated in relationship to family members and the community.