The Arab Mind

The Arab Human Development Report – Envisioning an Arab Renaissance

ditor’s Introduction: The Arab Human Development Report (ahdr) has had a noteworthy career. Within the Arab world, it has stimulated debate and controversy. In Europe and the United States, since its publication almost every discussion about development, democratization, and reform in Arab countries has made reference to the ahdr’s findings. Furthermore, outside reform initiatives, such as thos...

Demystifying the Arab Spring

In Tunisia, protesters escalated calls for the restoration of the country's suspended constitution. Meanwhile, Egyptians rose in revolt as strikes across the country brought daily life to a halt and toppled the government. In Libya, provincial leaders worked feverishly to strengthen their newly independent republic. It was 1919. That year's events demonstrate that the global diffusion of inform...

Towards the Arab Renaissance

As recent events in the Arab region have amply demonstrated, the problems of poverty, unemployment and social and political exclusion cannot be forever ignored without there arising demands for change in the basic arrangements of society. Today, the dramatic revolts in diverse Arab societies have highlighted the failures of the pre-existing development model, as well as the necessity and opport...

The United Arab Emirates

A Unique Demographic Structure The United Arab Emirates (UAE) lies on the Arabian Gulf between Oman and Saudi Arabia. It consists of a union of seven Emirates, namely: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ra's Al-Khaymah, Al-Fujayrah, and Umm Al-Qaywayn (Fig. 11). The UAE has a cosmopolitan population of 3.7 million (estimates 2003) and exhibits a unique demographic structure as UAE nationals only...

Media and Revolutionary Movements in the Arab Countries