International diplomacy. Human rights. Social movements. War. How does one begin to digest such monumental subject matter, particularly coming out of a region as volatile as the Middle East?
Perhaps we should turn to the smaller, under-reported stories that are often successful in revealing the salient characteristics of larger challenges. The key is simply knowing where to look.
Bazaar Movements will attempt to cover and unpack these stories in a way that shines light upon larger Middle Eastern (or at times, global) trends. It will serve as an aggregate for smart analysis from some of the most respected members of the foreign policy community, and attempt to provide thorough critiques of the defining foreign policy debates of our day.
Can Autocracy Breed Democracy in the West Bank?
A very real challenge of state-building — particularly in areas devoid of institutionalized democracy — is striking the right balance between strong top-down leadership and social inclusivity. The cold efficiency of executive authority and the beautiful chaos of pluralism. Lean too heavily in either direction, and you may wind up with either a dangerous precedent of quasi-authoritarianism or a political system paralyzed by protracted and irreconcilable debate.
Egypt's Emergency Law(lessness)
It's not entirely clear why Khaled Said, a 28-year-old Egyptian, was approached by police on June 6 while sitting in a cyber cafe in Alexandria. Nor is it known why those particular security officers felt compelled to drag Said outside and, without any sort of provocation, beat him to death.
Guarding Against Illiberal Democracy
When I hear of news like Noam Chomsky's recent kerfuffle with Israeli border security — an all-too-predictable episode of state-level hypersensitivity manifesting in the form of draconian policy — I'm reminded of a book written by Marc Ellis about post-Holocaust Jewish liberation theology. A bit of a jump, I know, but bear with me.
Wired for Progress and Peril
You may not suspect it, but the Middle East is pretty wired these days. Increasingly so, in fact. By some estimates, the region has the second fastest-growing Internet market in the world. Around 60 percent of Arab youths between 18 - 24 use computers on a regular basis. Four out of five own mobile phones.
New Polling, New Opportunities?
For policymakers seeking an entry-point to engage the Middle East in dialogue, there may be an opening created by the apparent disillusionment of many ME societies with both Islamist groups and Muslim leaders.
The Self-Fulfilling Dahiya Doctrine
In light of the encouraging reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be moderating his position toward peace, I wanted to bring attention to this revealing New York Times article published on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. Not out of some desire to counter good news with bad. But rather, the juxtaposition of these two stories could easily be described as a lesson in the futility of intransigence.
