Research Papers
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Author: Andrea Ghiselli, Mohammed Al-Sudairi.
The narrative among Western pundits as well as government officials on China’s role in the Middle East is steadily consolidating around the idea that it will soon act in the region to expand its influence, at the expense of the United States. Is this really the case? The article offers a more nuanced perspective on the issue by taking the reconstruction of Syria into consideration and comparing how China and the Syrian government have acted and framed China’s role. The article argues that there is an exaggerated perception of China’s current or imminent role in Syria in the Arabic and English media which stands in total disjunction to
Number: 42
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This Masarat briefing seeks to determine whether the “shale revolution,” which has been unlocking vast new oil reserves in the United States, has prompted a reassessment of long-standing U.S. policies designed to ensure access to oil supplies as well as relationships with
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Author: Mark C. Thompson and Makio Yamada
According to the labor market statistics for the first quarter of 2019, there were slightly less than 1.7 million Saudis working in the private sector compared to over 6.7 million expats: this puts the sector’s Saudization rate at 20%.(2) To further achieve labor localization, aligning skills and expectations of students/job-seekers with employer requirements should be a priority for policy makers. A facilitation of skills matching is integral to the Saudi economy’s transformation into a knowledge-based one; at the same time, expectations matching is also needed given that a large number of jobs currently existing in the Saudi labor ma
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Author: Mohamed Al-Sbitli
Tunisia's upcoming presidential elections (September 15th) represent an important political milestone for the country and all parties involved. As a political event, it represents a new step in the consolidation of the democratic and pluralistic path. On the other hand, it is a real challenge for parties and all candidates.
*The English translation is currently unavailable.
Number: 48
Author: Kyle Haddad - Fonda
This article investigates the experiences of Arab dignitaries, journalists, youth groups, and trade envoys who have visited the People’s Republic of China in an official or semiofficial capacity since China’s initial overtures to Middle Eastern countries in 1955. First, it outlines the “standard itineraries” given to Arab delegations touring China both in the 1950s and in the twenty first century, demonstrating how the changes to this agenda reflect the shifting priorities of the Chinese state. Second, it explores how the Chinese government has refined
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Author: David Kenner
The World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index is one of the most widely used global metrics
for assessing a country’s regulatory performance. Saudi officials have frequently employed it to
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Author: Lama Khaiyat and Makio Yamada
With the latest technological changes such as the fourth Industrial Revolution and a new wave of automation, the “future of work and education” has been a major point of discussion around the world. It was also one of the key items on the agenda of the G20, which took place in Japan this year and will be hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2020. The T20 (Think20), an intellectual backbone of the G20, has been running a task force dedicated to this issue, where thinkers and researchers from its member states meet to discuss ways to address challenges posed to individuals, businesses, and governments in the digital age.
Number: 47
Author: Paul Musgrave
Political polarization plays an increasingly prominent and formative role in American politics. Its effects are visible in how Americans feel about politics, how candidates for office win election, how compromises can (or, more often, cannot) be reached, and how U.S. institutions increasingly face risks in carrying out even ordinary functions, including periodic crises over shutdowns or defaults. Yet the meaning of political polarization for U.S. foreign policy has been overlooked. This report argues that polarization has begun to produce a great effect on how the United States makes policy, including policy toward allied and partner states. Since the