Kerry Says Assad Staying as Syrian Leader Is a "Non-Starter"

Kerry Says Assad Staying as Syrian Leader Is a "Non-Starter"

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Secretary of State John Kerry, in an address at the U.S. Institute of Peace on the U.S. approach to the war in Syria, reinforced the administration’s firm opposition to allowing President Bashar al-Assad to remain in power under any resolution to the 4 ½-year conflict. Before leaving the U.S. today to resume talks on Syria in Vienna, Kerry pledged accelerated U.S. diplomatic and military efforts to end the fighting and defeat the self-styled “Islamic State” extremist group.

Type: Analysis

Fragility & ResilienceViolent ExtremismMediation, Negotiation & DialogueJustice, Security & Rule of LawGlobal Policy

In Tunisia, Economic Crisis Threatens Political Progress

In Tunisia, Economic Crisis Threatens Political Progress

Thursday, November 12, 2015

By: Fred Strasser

The relative stability of Tunisia’s politics—achieved through a “national dialogue” whose mediators won the Nobel Peace Prize—is largely holding. Within a broad, governing coalition, Islamists, secularists, trade unions and employers all jockey for advantage in the usual democratic ways. But beneath the comparative calm, an economic crisis threatens the political gains of the only country building a democracy from the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011.

Type: Analysis

Violent ExtremismEnvironmentMediation, Negotiation & DialogueNonviolent ActionEconomics

Q&A: Myanmar Voters Cast Ballots for Democracy

Q&A: Myanmar Voters Cast Ballots for Democracy

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

By: Fred Strasser

Myanmar’s transition to representative democracy took a critical step on Nov. 8 as the nation held the first general election since almost 50 years of military rule ended in 2011. While ballots are still being counted, the National League for Democracy, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, appears headed to winning control of parliament. Priscilla Clapp, a former American diplomat in Myanmar and U.S. Institute of Peace specialist on the country, discusses the implications of th...

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & PreventionReligionGlobal Elections & ConflictDemocracy & Governance

U.N. Eyes Early Human Rights Intervention to Promote Development

U.N. Eyes Early Human Rights Intervention to Promote Development

Monday, November 9, 2015

By: Gopal Ratnam

United Nations discussions that are underway on how it can intervene to stop human rights violations within national boundaries might help prevent such tensions from exploding into the kinds of civil wars and floods of refugees that the world is experiencing today, said Jan Eliasson, the global body’s deputy secretary general, at an event organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & PreventionViolent ExtremismEnvironmentGlobal PolicyHuman RightsEconomics

Islam, Culture and Sexism: Making Change with Religious Learning

Islam, Culture and Sexism: Making Change with Religious Learning

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

By: Fred Strasser

Men in some Muslim societies cite the Islamic faith in defending “honor killings” of women and marriage for child brides. In the West, many commentators proclaim Islam inherently sexist, and some governments ban the veils traditionally worn by many Muslim women. Amid this turmoil, growing numbers of female Islamic scholars cite the Quran to argue that Muslim women are marginalized not by the true tenets of their faith but by patriarchal cultural practices. 

Type: Analysis

GenderReligion

Q&A: Russia’s Intervention in Syria

Q&A: Russia’s Intervention in Syria

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

By: Dr. Elie Abouaoun ;  Gopal Ratnam

Russia’s military involvement in Syria has further complicated a four-year-long civil war that the United Nations says has killed more than 250,000 people and driven half the population from their homes. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad just visited Moscow, his first trip outside Syria since the conflict began in 2011 – to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Elie Abouaoun, director of Middle East programs at the U.S. Institute of Peace, considers the ramifications, the prospects for r...

Type: Analysis

Violent ExtremismMediation, Negotiation & DialogueEducation & Training