Kuwait's Thaw

{
  "authors": [
    "Nathan J. Brown"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "democracy",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "DCG",
  "programs": [
    "Democracy, Conflict, and Governance",
    "Middle East"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Kuwait"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform"
  ]
}

In The Media

Kuwait's Thaw

When the polls open in Kuwait on Thursday, Kuwaiti women will be able to cast their votes for national candidates for the first time in the country's history. This election has huge implications for the role of women in Kuwaiti society, the future of Kuwaiti politics and democratic reform in the region at large.

By Nathan J. Brown

Published on Jun 28, 2006

Program

Democracy, Conflict, and Governance

The Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program is a leading source of independent policy research, writing, and outreach on global democracy, conflict, and governance. It analyzes and seeks to improve international efforts to reduce democratic backsliding, mitigate conflict and violence, overcome political polarization, promote gender equality, and advance pro-democratic uses of new technologies.

Learn More

Program

Middle East

The Middle East Program in Washington combines in-depth regional knowledge with incisive comparative analysis to provide deeply informed recommendations. With expertise in the Gulf, North Africa, Iran, and Israel/Palestine, we examine crosscutting themes of political, economic, and social change in both English and Arabic.

Learn More

Source: Newsweek Interview

When the polls open in Kuwait on Thursday, Kuwaiti women will be able to cast their votes for national candidates for the first time in the country's history. Registered women voters outnumber men by almost a third. It will also be the first time women have run for national office—28 of the 253 candidates for Parliament are women. NEWSWEEK's Zvika Krieger spoke by phone with Nathan Brown, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, about the implications of this election for the role of women in Kuwaiti society, the future of Kuwaiti politics and democratic reform in the region at large.

Click here to read the full interview.

About the Author

Nathan J. Brown

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Middle East Program

Nathan J. Brown, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, is a distinguished scholar and author of nine books on Arab politics and governance, as well as editor of five books.

Recent Work

Commentary
Looking Past the Wall on Palestine-Israel
- Nathan J. Brown
Commentary
Rubble is Israel’s Doctrine, Not a Case of Improvisation
- Nathan J. Brown

Political Reform Kuwait

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Paper
Loyal but Powerless: The Downgrading of Russia’s Elite
The ruling elites in contemporary Russia are not a political class, but a community of managers who are not subject to competition or public accountability. The state is becoming an operating apparatus without any internal autonomy.
Alexandra Prokopenko
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
What Does Pashinyan’s Parliamentary Victory Mean for Armenia’s Future?
Pashinyan’s pro-European party has been re-elected with a decisive victory. But the pro-Russian opposition could still slow Armenia’s progress toward peace with Azerbaijan and rapprochement with Europe.
Mikayel Zolyan
Book
From Sovereigns to Servants. How the War Against Ukraine Reshaped Russia’s Elite
How did Putin co-opt Russia’s political and economic elites, ensuring no more than fitful resistance to the regime’s war on Ukraine?
Alexandra Prokopenko
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Will Russia–Armenia Relations Improve Following Pashinyan’s Re-Election?
For all the menacing rhetoric, the Armenian prime minister remains a leader with whom Putin is prepared to interact: not as an ally, but as a partner, albeit a problematic one.
Alexander Atasuntsev
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Who Does Azerbaijan Want to See Win Armenia’s Elections?
By fueling the arguments of both supporters and opponents of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijan wants to ensure he is re-elected with a weaker mandate.
Bashir Kitachaev

Kuwait's Thaw

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Paper

Loyal but Powerless: The Downgrading of Russia’s Elite

The ruling elites in contemporary Russia are not a political class, but a community of managers who are not subject to competition or public accountability. The state is becoming an operating apparatus without any internal autonomy.

Alexandra Prokopenko

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

What Does Pashinyan’s Parliamentary Victory Mean for Armenia’s Future?

Pashinyan’s pro-European party has been re-elected with a decisive victory. But the pro-Russian opposition could still slow Armenia’s progress toward peace with Azerbaijan and rapprochement with Europe.

Mikayel Zolyan

Book

From Sovereigns to Servants. How the War Against Ukraine Reshaped Russia’s Elite

How did Putin co-opt Russia’s political and economic elites, ensuring no more than fitful resistance to the regime’s war on Ukraine?

Alexandra Prokopenko

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Will Russia–Armenia Relations Improve Following Pashinyan’s Re-Election?

For all the menacing rhetoric, the Armenian prime minister remains a leader with whom Putin is prepared to interact: not as an ally, but as a partner, albeit a problematic one.

Alexander Atasuntsev

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Who Does Azerbaijan Want to See Win Armenia’s Elections?

By fueling the arguments of both supporters and opponents of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijan wants to ensure he is re-elected with a weaker mandate.

Bashir Kitachaev