Category Archives: Middle East

The Politics of Looking at Women’s Rights in the Middle East

Posted on 04/01/2017 by Janice Jayes

As someone who has lived in and studies the Middle East I am often asked my opinion on the situation of women in that region. Of course it’s impossible to comment on “women” anywhere, even in Champaign or Urbana, without … Continue reading →

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Battling ISIS and Other Distractions from the Bigger Picture

Posted on 11/18/2016 by Janice Jayes

Current operations to scrub out Islamic State (ISIS) bases have restored American confidence in state-of-the-art military solutions for complex problems, but unfortunately these battles (and the undefined relationship with Russia, Turkey or the Assad regime in the post-ISIS era) also … Continue reading →

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The Syrian Refugee Crisis and the Problem of Categories

Posted on 08/17/2016 by Janice Jayes

The Syrian refugee crisis is ultimately a problem about categories, not numbers. Yes, the numbers are overwhelming. But, unfortunately, after years of tragic stories about the 11 million displaced by the Syrian war, international sympathy is waning even as the … Continue reading →

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The Syrian Stage: The Globalization of the Syrian War

Posted on 07/13/2016 by Janice Jayes

Just as the Arab Spring showcased the political possibilities of new forms of communication—empowering political dissenters by allowing them to rapidly share developments and warnings with each other and the world, and breaking the dominance the state had enjoyed over … Continue reading →

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