Research & Commentary Results

This post originally appeared on The American Interest on August 23rd.

The 21^st century has been called the “Century of the City,” as half of the world’s population lives in urban areas.[1] Virtually all of the projected global population growth will be in cities of the developing world, and most of it will be concentrated in informal settlements.

Higher education—and its successful reform—is essential to the long term stability and prosperity of the Arab world. The youth uprisings which triggered the Arab Spring in Tunisia and Egypt have highlighted the urgency of defusing the region’s ticking demographic time bomb: young, growing populations facing uncertain futures. To combat high unemployment and sluggish private sector growth, the Arab world must focus on building a knowledge society quickly in order to create three million more jobs annually than it currently generates, according to World Bank estimates.

The Middle East Institute is pleased to host Nathan Brown, Khaled Elgindy, and Hafez Al Mirazi for a conversation about recent political developments in Egypt. As the first ever Muslim Brotherhood presidential candidate prepares to take office, a larger standoff looms between the SCAF and the Brotherhood over the future of the recently dissolved Parliament and the question of the constitution. Brown, Elgindy and Al Mirazi will examine these and other challenges facing Egypt on its rocky transition toward democracy.

podcast for Egypt After the Elections, recorded on the 28th of June, 2012

podcast for Egypt After the Elections, recorded on the 28th of June, 2012

podcast for Egypt After the Elections, recorded on the 28th of June, 2012

podcast for Egypt After the Elections, recorded on the 28th of June, 2012

podcast for Egypt After the Elections, recorded on the 28th of June, 2012

This Opinion was originally posted on Freedom House’s “Freedom at Issue” blog on June 21, 2012.

Originally posted October 2010

This second edition of the MEI Viewpoints series on Higher Education and the Middle East focuses on Empowering Under-served and Vulnerable Populations.

Originally posted October 2010

That education is a major force for socialization is indisputable. Education has the power to shape views of the world, to challenge long-held beliefs, and, therefore, to impact the social order. Its influences on the course of a society’s development are far-reaching, from the public realm of employment patterns and economic development to the private sphere of marriage and childbearing.

The cacophony of bullhorns, fireworks and frenzied cross-country barnstorming in trucks, busses and three-wheeled “tuk-tuks” emblazoned with candidates’ posters has come to an end, and a historic moment has arrived: tens of millions of Egyptians are heading to the polls today in the first democratic presidential election in the country’s history, an election borne out of the 2011 revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak and injected Egyptians with a novel feeling of excitement for participatory democracy.

This Opnion first appeared in the Huffington Post on May 11, 2012.

Originally posted December 2010