Richard Sennett, renowned sociologist and urbanist, in his 1970 classic “The Uses of Disorder” called for an embrace of disorder, noting that it has a positive value and needs to be increased in city life. Moreover, he criticized planning principles on the premise that they advocate mono-functional zones and aim at establishing control over city spaces with the intention of minimizing conflict. In his view, disorder is “better than dead, predetermined planning, which restricts effective social exploration.” At the time, modernism in architecture and planning was being criticized for all sorts of things, with numerous social ills ranging from violence to urban crime attributed to its principles. Not much has changed since.
Somewhere in Iran’s holy city of Qom the Islamic Republic is educating the next generation of Muslim revolutionaries: young people from all over the world lured to Iran by a mixture of idealism, adventure, and opportunism. This group of international students includes Yemenis, who are organized at the Association of Yemeni Theological Students Residing in Qom. The association’s list of alumni includes Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi, who was killed in combat with Yemeni security forces on September 10, 2004.
Ahmad bin Fahd Al-Mezyed, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Culture, used the 2018 Cannes Film Festival as a cinematic backdrop to garner international interest in the Saudi film and television industry. His announcement of generous commercial incentives for moviemakers follows related developments in the country: The popular superhero film “Black Panther” was screened in April after a 35-year ban on cinemas and the government launched the Saudi Film Council in March.
When it comes to workspace trends, coworking has quickly risen to the top over the last two years. In 2017, 1.1 million people set up shop at a coworking space worldwide, and the Gulf Arab states are no exception. Coworking spaces have grown quickly in Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, and other major urban hubs, and while many of them host young entrepreneurs, some are narrowing their focus even further to creative and artistic work.
The government of Abu Dhabi announced a $13.6 billion stimulus package aimed at supporting economic development over three years. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan instructed officials to draw up detailed plans for allocating the funds over the next 90 days. Abu Dhabi's economy has stagnated in recent years as a result of lower oil prices, as well as austerity measures taken by the government to curb the rise in deficits. The new stimulus package includes 10 initiatives designed to streamline bureaucratic regulations and facilitate the ease of doing business in the UAE.
قبل ساعات من انعقاد قمة الدول الصناعية السبعة في كندا، والتي تضم حلفاء أمريكا التقليديين وجد الرئيس دونالد ترامب نفسه في حرب كلامية مع الرئيس الفرنسي ايمانويل ماكرون ورئيس وزراء كندا جاستن ترودو وعلى خلاف جذري مع جميع المشاركين في القمة بشأن الرسوم التي فرضها ترامب، دون موافقة الكونغرس الأمريكي، على صناعات الألمنيوم والصلب في أوروبا وكندا (والمكسيك) الأمر الذي يهدد علاقات واشنطن مع حلفائها (السابقين؟) بشكل خطير وغير معهود. وهذه هي المرة الأولى في تاريخ هذه المجموعة، يكون فيها الرئيس الأمريكي معزولا بهذا الشكل ويقف وحده ضد ست دول حليفة يوازي مجموع اقتصادياتها حجم الاقتصاد الأمريكي تقريبا. هذا السجال النابي العلني عبر شبكة تويتر هو آخر تعبير عن الضرر الذي ألحقه ترامب بالنظام العالمي الذي خلقته واشنطن مع حلفائها المنتصرين في الحرب العالمية الثانية. ومرة أخرى يثبت ترامب أنه لا يتصرف وفقا للأعراف الديبلوماسية، وينقض التقاليد السياسية التي التزم بها الرؤساء الأمريكيون من جمهوريين وديموقراطيين منذ 75 سنة، حيث يعامل الحلفاء القدامى وكأنهم خصوم، والخصوم والأعداء القدامى وكأنهم أصدقاء جدد أو أصدقاء محتملين اطلع على المزيد
In addition to original content, AGSIW.org in Arabic is regularly updated with new Arabic translations of AGSIW's analysis. Recent translations include:
Between President Donald J. Trump's announcement withdrawing from the nuclear deal and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's outline of major new sanctions and other measures, the administration's newly outlined U.S. approach to Iran is probably its most consequential international policy decision. What is the likelihood of success for this new U.S. approach, and what about potential pitfalls? How will this evolving policy toward Iran affect Washington's relations with Gulf Arab countries, European allies, and other major powers such as India, Russia, and China? On June 6, AGSIW hosted a conversation with the institute's chair, Ambassador Frank G. Wisner, who recently returned from meetings with European and Iranian interlocutors.
Position Title:Program and Digital Media Intern Period: August – December 2018 Location: Washington, DC Deadline to Apply: July 15
Job Summary: The Internship Program at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington provides talented students and recent graduates with a three-month (or longer) training opportunity designed to encourage professional and personal development. We encourage out-of-the-box thinking and value fresh perspectives. Interns will receive a monthly stipend. Read more
