Attiya Ahmad is Georgetown University’s 2009-10 Center for International and Regional Studies Post-Doctoral Fellow. She recently completed her PhD in Cultural Anthropology at Duke University. Dr. Ahmad’s work brings together scholarship on Islamic studies, globalization, diaspora and migration studies, economic anthropology, and political economy.
The Latest from Attiya Ahmad
The Black Sea Region in a Future U.S. Grand Strategy
The United States and its many partners in the “liberal international order” must remember the principles that brought them such success, while assessing how to promulgate them in a changing and increasingly threatening world. Indeed, the biggest threat to our present peace, prosperity, and political liberty is the Leftist assault on the legitimacy of liberalism itself, matched by the Right’s retreat into blood-and-soil nationalism.
Continuity and change in British foreign policy toward Yemen
On Feb. 16, 2015, then British Ambassador to Yemen Jane Marriott wrote an article titled “Yemen: the ball is in the Houthis’ court,” asserting that the future of the country and its stability were dependent on the Houthis.
The GCC, US-China tech war, and the next 5G storm
The U.S.-China rivalry is in uncharted territory. There is no clearer example of this than the U.S.’s intensifying and increasingly global fight with Chinese company Huawei over the security of 5G.
Help Lebanon help itself
Rebuild Beirut, But Hold the Government to Account
Monday Briefing: Eastern Mediterranean tensions reach a boiling point
This week’s briefing on recent news and upcoming events in the region featuring Emiliano Alessandri, Randa Slim, and Mark A. Heller.
Black Sea economies poised to take advantage of a post-pandemic climate
In recent years, the Black Sea has featured high on the radar for US companies looking for alternative locations to do business – in part due to Black Sea countries’ success in creating a favorable business climate and offering flexibility as an adaptable production base. This trend has been exacerbated by global developments such as the US-China trade war and most notably, COVID-19.
How is the crisis in Lebanon impacting Syria’s economy?
The explosion at the Port of Beirut on Aug. 4 has resulted in a further escalation of the political and economic crisis in Lebanon. Its repercussions can already be deeply felt in neighboring Syria and are expected to take an even greater toll on the country given its complex links to Lebanon. This crisis is feeding into Syria through multiple channels and has severe implications for its ability to import goods and, ultimately, its food security.
What to expect from Syria’s new cabinet
On Aug. 25, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad tasked Hussein Arnous with forming a new cabinet. What should we expect from it? Ayman Abdel Nour highlights 12 important considerations that will factor into its makeup.
Iran’s “#MeToo” moment
The ripple effects of the 2017 “#MeToo” movement shook Iranian social media this week as rape allegations were levelled against some of the country’s most prominent figures. The movement, which has led to the arrest of at least one alleged rapist so far, has triggered a broader conversation around sexual violence and harassment — an unspoken topic in Islamic Iran.
Turkey’s Black Sea gas find
Mehmet Öğütçü and Gonul Tol join host Alistair Taylor to discuss the recent announcement of Turkey’s biggest-ever natural gas discovery—the Sakarya field in the Black Sea—and what it might mean for Turkey’s economy, domestic politics, and foreign policy.
Jordan’s rising economic challenges in the time of COVID-19
The Jordanian government implemented one of the most comprehensive and effective COVID-19 responses in the region. While the government’s stringent measures did prompt some public discontent, the population largely accepted them. The government’s rapid and broad initial response was successful in thwarting a major public health crisis. Nevertheless, the kingdom has not been able to forestall the damaging economic consequences of COVID-19, which are bound to linger for years to come.
Russian and Chinese views on the Israel-UAE normalization deal
On Aug. 14, Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed to normalize diplomatic relations in exchange for a suspension of Israeli annexation plans in the West Bank. International reactions to this historic deal were sharply polarized, but the two main strategic rivals of the United States, Russia and China, responded cautiously to the announcement.
Strategic pause: What explains Russia’s inertia in eastern Syria?
Moscow has been scaling down its activities in eastern Syria and the most likely reason for this inertia lies in Moscow’s reluctance to be associated with actors seeking to erode the quasi-autonomy of the Trans-Euphrates region. Instead, Russia prefers to stand to the side and watch events unfold, while contemplating the right moment to jump in as a mediator and reap the political rewards.
حلقة 7: الفن العربي في ظل أزمات متراكمة — مع سلطان سعود القاسمي
ما هو المشهد الفنّي اليوم في العالم العربي؟ وهل الفن أولوية اليوم في ظل الأزمات التي نمر بها؟
كيف نقارن المشهد بين الدول العربية التي مرّت بثورات أو أزمات وحروب، وتلك التي تمتّعت باستقرار وهدوء؟
ماذا عن الأقليات العرقية في العالم العربي؟ هل استطاع فنّها أن يجد مكاناً له في الساحة العامة؟ وماذا عن دور الفنانات؟
هل يجب أن تترك الحكومات رعاية الفن للجمعيات غير الربحية أم أن هناك دور إيجابي يمكن أن تقوم به؟
ما هو دور الفن العربي في التخاطب مع محيطنا والعالم؟
