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Maha Yahya
Director, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

about


Maha Yahya is director of the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, where her work focuses broadly on political violence and identity politics, pluralism, development and social justice after the Arab uprisings, the challenges of citizenship, and the political and socio-economic implications of the migration/refugee crisis.

Prior to joining Carnegie, Yahya led work on Participatory Development and Social Justice at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA). She was previously regional adviser on social and urban policies at UN-ESCWA and spearheaded strategic and inter-sectoral initiatives and policies in the Office of the Executive Secretary which addressed the challenges of democratic transitions in the Arab world. Yahya has also worked with the United Nations Development Program in Lebanon, where she was the director and principal author of The National Human Development Report 2008–2009: Toward a Citizen’s State. She was also the founder and editor of the MIT Electronic Journal of Middle East Studies

Yahya has worked with international organizations and in the private sector as a consultant on projects related to socioeconomic policy analysis, development policies, cultural heritage, poverty reduction, housing and community development, and postconflict reconstruction in various countries including Lebanon, Pakistan, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. She has served on a number of advisory boards including the MIT Enterprise Forum of the Pan Arab Region and the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies.

Yahya  is the author of numerous publications, including most recently Unheard Voices: What Syrian Refugees Need to Return Home (April 2018); The Summer of Our Discontent: Sects and Citizens in Lebanon and Iraq (June 2017); Great Expectations in Tunisia (March 2016); Refugees and the Making of an Arab Regional Disorder (November 2015); Towards Integrated Social Development Policies: A Conceptual Analysis (UN-ESCWA, 2004), co-editor of Secular Publicities: Visual practices and the Transformation of National Publics in the Middle East and South Asia (University of Michigan Press, 2010) and co-author of Promises of Spring: Citizenship and Civic Engagement in Democratic Transitions (UN-ESCWA, 2013).

education
PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD, Architectural Association School of Architecture
languages
Arabic, English

All work from Maha Yahya

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commentary
Hezbollah Is in a Bind

As the conflict with Israel escalates, the path forward for the party is one fraught with obstacles.

· September 25, 2024
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) and his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib shake hands during a joint press conference following their talks in Moscow on November 22, 2021.
article
Russia’s Balancing Act in the Levant

Russia’s military intervention in Syria reflected a more assertive foreign policy. However, its ability to expand its influence to Lebanon and beyond has been restricted.

· September 19, 2024
In The Media
in the media
Maha Yahya on CNN After Israel Hezbollah Trade Fire

Maha Yahya comments on tensions following Israel Hezbollah trade fire.

· August 26, 2024
CNN
In The Media
in the media
Maha Yahya on Ceasefire - Hostage Talks

Maha Yahya on CNN discussing ceasefire, hostage negotiations, and the Iranian threat.

· August 14, 2024
CNN
In The Media
in the media
What an all-out war could look like for Lebanon

Yahya discusses how an all-out war could hurt Lebanon.

· August 11, 2024
CNN
In The Media
in the media
Maha Yahya on CNN Following Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh

Maha Yahya discusses the aftermath following the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

· July 31, 2024
CNN
In The Media
in the media
What does the killing of Ismail Haniyeh mean for Hamas?

What's the fallout from the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran? Hamas' political leader was assassinated as tensions in the Middle East are running high. How much of a blow is this to Hamas - and Iran? And could Haniyeh's death escalate into a full regional conflict?

· July 31, 2024
The Inside Story Podcast (Al Jazeera)
In The Media
in the media
Maha Yahya on CNN Following Israeli Strike

Maha Yahya discusses the Israeli strike in southern Beirut.

· July 30, 2024
CNN
In The Media
in the media
Maha Yahya on BBC following Israeli strike on Beirut

Maha Yahya discusses the aftermath of the Israeli 'targeted' strike in Beirut.

· July 30, 2024
BBC News
In The Media
in the media
Maha Yahya on CNN following Golan Heights Attack

Maha Yahya discusses the aftermath of the Golan Heights attack.

· July 30, 2024
CNN