The King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies published a book entitled, "Rebuilding Yemen: Political, Economic, and Social Challenges." The book was edited by two researchers: Dr. Noel Brehony, Chairman of the British-Yemeni Society, and Dr. Saud al-Sarhan, Director of Research at the King Faisal Center. Its chapters were selected from papers presented at the annual conference of the Gulf Research Centre, which took place at Cambridge University from August 24-28, 2014. The seven chapters provide background information and tackle a number of issues including: the historical and political backgorund of Yemen, Yemen after 1994,&nbs

This article will provide an overview of the reactions which surrounded the publication, in late August 2016, of an audio recording containing a conversation between Ayatollah Montazeri, then successor-in-waiting to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and senior officials involved in the execution of thousands of political prisoners in Iranian jails. It will gauge the reaction of various political forces to the publication of the recording, as well as provide statistics pointing to popular interest in it, and assess what political fallout is to be expected from the episode. 

At a time of profound regional and international transformations that extend beyond the political, Middle Easterners in general and Arabs in particular ponder their future, as well as how to best preserve and protect their interests and, equally important, their cultures.  As non-Arabs interpret and opine about Arab civilization far more than indigenous thinkers, how can we understand what motivates scholars and opinion-makers, and how can Arab analysts highlight indigenous perspectives? What are the core factors that separate non-Arab scholars from their Arab counterparts? Can the perceptions of nearly 500 million individuals

The Russian-Israeli intersections in the Middle East sway sometime from being distinctly pragmatic to peculiar arenas when it comes to the ongoing Syrian conflict. Through adopting the lens of Neoclassical Realism as a theory of international relations, this paper demonstrates how the Syrian conflict - due to its importance to both Israel and Russia - leads both countries to participate in positional competition in the region, engage in limited but effective cooperation, and try to stem the erosion of state-centric governance. The unique ties between the two countries in terms of their religious

At the end of September 2015, Russia stepped to the fore as an openly intervening power in Syria. Since then, pro-Assad forces have reestablished a firm military foothold, recaptured vast swaths of land, and safeguarded what is now a largely uncontested Alawite sphere of influence along the Mediterranean governorates of Latakia and Tartus, extending further south along the Syrian-Lebanese border to the capital, Damascus.  Probably the most striking characteristic of Russia’s military involvement stems from the heedlessness of its conduct: Moscow’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and agile diplomatic moves have pro

 This commentary aims to examine the linguistic divergences in the Daesh’s communication strategies in attempts to attract and recruit women from various social and geographic backgrounds through Daesh media platforms. It is argued that while Arabic texts tend to employ a more theological rhetoric; English and francophone1 texts tend to employ a rhetoric emphasizing social inclusivity as means to attract North American and European (Western) women to join Daesh. This commentary refers to adaptation as a Daesh recruitment strategy, which takes into account the significant variety of motivations amongst Daesh supporters. 

This study presents a comprehensive portrayal of one of the critical actors in the Syrian arena, and one whose role recently became more prominent: the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF.) It discusses the conditions that led to its formation, its structure, its funding mechanisms and support, its military capabilities, and its grassroots base. The study also presents maps displaying the SDF’s influence and control in Syria, its areas of influence, and its military tactics, which depend primarily on the People’s Protection Forces (YPG). The study also presents prominent international and regional actors’ positions regarding Syria’s Democrati

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Publication Title: The Fallout of Russia’s Syria Campaign in the North Caucasus Author: Sebastian Maier Date of Publication: 1st of June, 2016. The latest news coverage on war-torn Syria has been overwhelmingly dominated by the strong symbolic message sent by the Damascene regime by gaining ground against Islamic State as it recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra in the Syrian desert at the end of March 2016. At the same time, but largely unnoticed by the international media, Islamic State’s Caucasus governorate, proclaimed in sum