Babel: Translating the Middle East

This week on Babel, Jon speaks with Dahlia Scheindlin, a public opinion expert and international political consultant who has advised 8 Israeli elections. They discuss the deep divisions in Israeli society, where the new Israeli government can go from here, and how Israelis think about the changing nature of the U.S.-Israel relationship. Then, Jon, Natasha Hall, and Caleb Harper continue the discu...

Entering Tunisia’s solar industry takes more than just a sunny disposition. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program. This vignette is taken from the CSIS Middle East Program’s report, “Sustainable States: Environment, Governance, and the Future of the Middle East," available on the CSIS website.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks about Jordan with Dr. Jillian Schwedler, professor of political science at the City University of New York's Hunter College and a non-resident fellow at Brandeis University's Crown Center. Jon and Dr. Schwedler discuss the surprisingly long history of Jordanian protests, the ways Jordanian protests are a regular part of politics in the country, and who is and...

In Egypt, hot sauce might not be all that comes with your liver sandwich. This is a short mezze from the Middle East Program at CSIS.

This week on Babel, McKinley Knoop interviews Jon Alterman, Natasha Hall, and Will Todman about the Middle East Program's new report, "Sustainable States: Environment, Governance, and the Future of the Middle East." They discuss the origins of the report, the crucial role of trust in public service provision and governance, and how the team conducted research during the Covid-19 pandemic. To end,...

In the struggle for Tunisia's post-revolution future, the past has been getting a controversial new lease on life. Statues commemorating Tunisia's past leaders have not been left unscathed.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks with Khaled Dawoud, who was arrested amidst rising political tensions in Egypt in September 2019 and was released from prison two weeks ago. Upon his release, Khaled returned to his jobs as assistant editor of Al-Ahram Weekly and a professor of journalism at the American University in Cairo. Khaled talks about his time in prison, how he became involved in pol...

Calculating the beginning and the end of Ramadan is an annual debate in the Middle East, and politics, sectarianism, and ethnicity are never far from the equation. This is a short mezze from the Middle East Program at CSIS.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks about Jordan with Dr. Bessma Momani, professor of political science at the University of Waterloo and one of Canada's leading experts on the Middle East. Dr. Momani and Jon explore the recent controversy over former Crown Prince Hamzeh and the government’s concerns over public discontent. Then, Jon, Natasha Hall, and Danny Sharp discuss Jordanians' relationsh...

Being single in Iran could become very expensive if a conservative cleric gets his way. This is a short mezze from the Middle East Program at CSIS.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks with Jessica Obeid, energy consultant, a senior global advisor at the London-based consultancy Azure Strategy, and an academy associate with Chatham House's Energy, Environment, and Resources Programme. They talk about the Lebanese power sector and what its shortcomings tell us about broader fissures in Arab society. Then, Natasha Hall, Will Todman, and Jon c...

A short mezze episode from the Middle East Program at CSIS. The Egyptian government is trying to block doctors from leaving the country, but they aren't incentivizing doctors to stay, either.

To mark a decade since protests first began in Syria, we are bringing you the stories and experiences of five different Syrians, in their own words. Omar Alshogre is now a student at Georgetown University, and he was 15 when he attended his first protest in 2011 and was subsequently imprisoned for the first time. Zaina Erhaim is an award-winning journalist, communications expert, and trainer origi...

Yemen’s once flourishing fishing industry is now on the rocks as the country’s conflict has turned previously tranquil shores into a warzone.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks with Stephanie Williams, formerly the acting special representative of the UN Secretary-General and the head of the UN Support Mission in Libya. They talk about why the conflict in Libya has lasted this long, the importance of facilitating a Libyan-Libyan resolution to the conflict, and her role as a mediator in the process. Then, Natasha Hall, Will Todman, a...

If social media influencers in the UAE want to capitalize on their fame, they have to acquire a license from the UAE government. This is a short mezze episode from the Middle East Program at CSIS.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks with Ambassador James Jeffrey, who recently finished serving as the Secretary of State's special representative for Syria engagement and as the special envoy to defeat ISIS. Ambassador Jeffrey talked about Turkey's Middle East policy, how to think about Turkey's versus Erdogan's views, and if Turkey has any allies in the Middle East. Then, Jon, Natasha Hall,...

Traffickers bringing foreign tomatoes onto Iraq's black market are just one sign of Iraq's domestic produce and protectionism issues.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks with Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed, visiting research fellow at the London School of Economics Middle East Centre and research fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies. Dr. Almoaibed talks about her research on how Saudi's youth view vocational schools, entrepreneurship, and Vision 2030. Then, Jon is joined by his colleagues Will Todman and Dan...

Women across the Middle East are becoming plumbers with support from some governments' training programs.

In this week's episode of Babel, Jon Alterman talks with Dr. Azzam Alwash, an engineer working to restore Iraq's wetlands and the founder of Nature Iraq. Dr. Alwash talks about why wetlands are important and how he and others work to convince Iraq's government to take action. Then, Jon, Natasha Hall, and McKinley Knoop discuss the relationship between climate change, governance, and trust. Azzam A...

The disorder of today’s Iraq leads many Iraqis to miss the old Iraq, in which life was predictable and the state provided for its citizens. Over the past several years, Iraqi support for Saddam Hussein has surged.

In our latest episode of Babel, Jon Alterman was joined by Issandr El Amrani, regional director for the Middle East/North Africa region at the Open Society Foundation. Issandr talked to Jon about how political trends across the Middle East have unfolded in the ten years since the Arab Spring. He also gives his thoughts on what trends people should be watching going forward. Then, Jon, Natasha Hall...

As more and more women across the Middle East enter the auto industry, the fuel for change is being driven in unexpected directions.

Jon Alterman talks with Elfatih Eltahir, professor of hydrology and climate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, about climate change and rising temperatures across the Middle East. Professor Eltahir explains what 'wet bulb' temperature means, and why governments should plan future cities away from the coast in order to cope with extreme heat. Then, Jon, Will Todman, and McKinley Knoop di...