In spite of the massive popular protests that have swept away two Arab strongmen and shaken half a dozen monarchies and republics, the Arab world has yet to witness any fundamental change in ruling elites and even less in the nature of governance.

Amr Hamzawy presented his Carnegie Paper “The Saudi Labyrinth: Evaluating the Current Political Opening."  Jamal Khashoggi, Advisor to the Ambassador of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and David Ottaway of the Washington Post served as discussants and Nathan Brown moderated.