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The American University in Cairo •

Ceasefire: What's Next for the Middle East?

Amid talks about a “new Middle East,” News@AUC spoke to Ibrahim Awad, professor of practice in global affairs, to know what we can expect in the region’s most turbulent corners. A Precarious Ceasefire in Palestine Awad expressed satisfaction about the ceasefire in Gaza, which came into effect on January 19 but skepticism about whether it will be sustained. “Many speculate that once the Israeli captives are liberated, the agreement will collapse,” he said.Since the ceasefire began, 18 Israeli hos...
The American University in Cairo •

Syria's Al-Assad Regime Falls

On December 8, the 53-year reign of the al-Assad family came to an end as rebel groups took over Syria. The Syrian civil war has been raging for almost 14 years, starting in 2011, and many experts viewed the regime collapse as a sudden shift in the conflict’s power dynamics. We spoke to AUC Professor Bahgat Korany to better understand the causes, impact and future of Syria following the fall of the al-Assad regime.  Korany believes the speedy fall of al-Assad is significant in itself, demonstrat...
The American University in Cairo •

U.S. Elections: What to Watch

The candidates are current Vice President Kamala Harris representing the Democratic Party and former President Donald Trump, running on behalf of the Republican Party.  Middle East Policy On the most basic level, our faculty experts predict that Middle East policy would remain constant between the two candidates. However, they agree that Trump may be more supportive of Israel and less sympathetic to the humanitarian crises in Palestine and Lebanon. Mark Deets, assistant professor of history, exp...
The American University in Cairo •

Lebanon in Crisis: Faculty Insights

In the past two weeks, more than 1,000 people have been killed in Lebanon and 6,300 injured by Israeli strikes. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, was also killed on September 27. While the looming implications of this conflict remain unclear, we asked AUC faculty members who study the region to share their thoughts.Bahgat Korany, professor of international relations and political economy, broke down Israel’s objectives into three points:In a nutshell, “It is the...
Columbia Political Review •

The China Rivalry: An All-American Myth

Over the last decade, the US-China relationship has become increasingly precarious as the language of a “new cold war” is becoming more prevalent. “The China Threat” has emerged as a central target of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) counterintelligence operations in recent years, and surveys as recent as 2023 demonstrate that over a third of Americans perceive China as an “enemy.”US policy reflects a growing distance from China across parties, too. Former President Donald Trump imposed sev...
Columbia Political Review •

Saudi Arabia’s Economic Transformation: Defeating the Resource Curse?

Flying taxis and ski resorts are both part of Saudi Arabia’s plan to modernize. Since 2016, Saudi Arabia has been undergoing an economic transformation that could reshape its fortunes and serve as a guide for other resource-rich nations struggling against the resource curse.For decades, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s economy has been synonymous with oil in a classic example of a rentier state, where the economy is heavily based on revenue from external sources, primarily oil exports. The resource...
Columbia Political Review •

The U.S.-Israel Alliance: Should Foreign Aid be Demilitarized?

With an election season on the horizon and all eyes on global conflicts, the U.S. government is increasingly coming under fire for its foreign policy toward Israel. The latest aid package passed by the House sent politicians into a frenzy. Meanwhile, as the majority of Americans support a ceasefire, the Biden administration has found shortcuts to increase military support for Israel, even bypassing Congress to approve the sale of weapons. The devastating impact on civilians in Gaza, along with s...

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