Kuwait projects itself as a champion of participatory politics and Gulf and Arab unity as embodied in its Parliament and support for regional institutions such as the Gulf Cooperation Council. Yet today, Kuwait finds its participatory and deliberative politics out of step, as younger leadership in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia centralize power in pursuit of bold economic visions and greater influence abroad. Amid the dramatic changes sweeping the Gulf region – the contest for regional supremacy, generational transition, and economic transformation – Kuwait’s incremental approach is being sorely tested. This paper examines Kuwait’s search for balance among its social groups, political institutions, and regional powers, while asking if Kuwait’s model is sustainable in a Gulf security and political environment characterized by maximalism.
For decades, the religious establishment in Saudi Arabia succeeded in maintaining a homogenous religious discourse. Saudi intellectuals and academics have repeatedly voiced their concern over the rigidity of the discourse, yet most government-affiliated, and even unaffiliated, scholars refrain from contesting it. The small number of clerics who have done so fell from grace with the establishment and the kingdom’s sizeable conservative population. However, the recent wave of reforms in Saudi Arabia did not bypass the religious establishment. It presented an opportunity for official scholars to support the country’s reform plans and encouraged the emergence of the “Enlightened Sheikhs” trend that has been challenging traditional understandings of religion.
واخيرا حقق الرئيس دونالد ترامب أحد أهم أهدافه منذ وصوله إلى البيت الأبيض، أي عقد لقاء قمة رسمي مع نظيره الروسي فلاديمير بوتين الذي طالما أغدقه الرئيس الأمريكي بالثناء مع أي ذكر له. وبعد ساعات من إعلان واشنطن وموسكو معا عن قمة هلسنكي في السادس عشر من شهر يوليو – تموز، غرّد ترامب تبرئة جديدة لروسيا من تهمة التدخل في انتخابات الرئاسة الأمريكية، وهو أمر أكدته ولا تزال تؤكد حصوله أجهزة الاستخبارات الأمريكية، التي يرأسها مسؤولون عينهم ترامب نفسه 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:
On June 28, AGSIW hosted a public panel discussion on GCC-Horn of Africa relations. Part of the Gulf Rising series, speakers explored the regional and domestic issues that have defined the Gulf states’ foreign policy choices toward Horn of Africa countries and vice versa, as well as the implications for regional stability and U.S. interests.
This week, 33 national security experts — including 31 former federal government officials — are sending a letter to the secretaries of State and Homeland Security, urging them to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemenis living in the United States, and to redesignate Yemen for TPS, making it possible for Yemenis not currently holding this status to apply. We have added our names to this letter because TPS has saved lives and advanced America’s national interests, and its extension will continue to do so.
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 moreVisiting Scholar
Position Title:Visiting Scholar Period: Spring 2019 Location: Washington, DC
Job Summary: Visiting scholars are individuals who possess a PhD or equivalent professional experience. The length of stay for a visiting scholar is typically a semester or academic year. AGSIW is actively seeking candidates with significant regional experience and fluency in written and spoken Arabic. AGSIW will provide a stipend that can be used to cover living expenses, travel costs, or incidental research expenses. Read more
