Human Rights in the Arab World: Independent Voices offers perspectives from those at the forefront of research and debate at the intersection of human rights and Islam, globalization, transnational advocacy, and the politics of key states such as Egypt, Morocco, and Yemen.
Nathan Brown, a leading expert on Palestinian politics and Islamic law at the Carnegie Endowment, says that since neither Israel nor Hamas has much experience dealing with the other, what is needed is a period of "quiet diplomacy."
Libya is making a political and economic comeback, after years of being shunned as a promoter of terrorism. Some question whether the U.S. should hold the country up as an example of successful international diplomacy.
By isolating the new Hamas government diplomatically and financially, the US and its allies have succeeded in bringing the Palestinian Authority to the brink of collapse. In addition, government and opposition leaders in the Middle East regard the West's reaction to Hamas as a test of its sincerity in the push for regional political reform.
The strident tone of Osama bin Laden's latest videotape masks an ideological crisis for Al-Qaeda. Arab politics have transcended the legacy of Al-Qaeda. Today gradualism, participation, and democratic reform, rather than radical violence and jihad, set the agenda.
Ten years ago, Burma lacked the personality cult of totalitarian states such as North Korea and Turkmenistan. At the time, Than Shwe was one of three generals heading the junta and was considered the most dimwitted of the three. In the past five years, Than Shwe, 73, has turned himself into an object of Dear Leader-like adoration by pushing out rivals, consolidating power and using mass media.
U.S. efforts to promote democracy in the Middle East have several components.
In view of the recent victory by Hamas in Palestine and the electoral success of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, understanding the thinking of Islamist movements is more important than ever. Experts are trying to move beyond stark views of the Islamist challenge as either a democratizing force or an extreme threat to democracy, to present a nuanced view of the position of Islamist parties.